Beaufort County to keep serving summer meals to kids even after lapse in federal help

Beaufort County schools will continue to feed kids over the summer despite Gov. Henry McMaster opting out of a federally-funded summer feeding program.

In past years the Summer EBT program offered $120 per eligible child each summer for food. However, in January, McMaster announced that South Carolina would not participate. The money would be put on a card for the family to use, similar to EBT or food stamps.

“That was a COVID related benefit, extra,” McMaster said during a news conference earlier this year, defending his decision to decline from participating in the federal program. “We’ve got to get back to doing normal business, we just can’t continue that forever.”

In Beaufort County last year 12,000 students qualified for the federal programy. But, Ginger Weekly, Beaufort County School District’s Food Services Accountant, says those kids don’t have to go without assistance as Beaufort County will continue feeding them throughout the summer with its Seamless Summer Option program.

The program allows anyone aged 18 or under to come to designated sites to get a free breakfast and lunch across the county. There are 28 locations in Beaufort County , including schools, churches and libraries, where kids can go to get meals at no cost.

The summer meals follow a similar schedule, or meal pattern, to meals during the school year, Weekly said.

During the summer of 2023, Beaufort County served roughly 54,000 meals to kids in need, through the SSO, according to numbers provided by Candace Bruder, spokesperson for the school district.

It’s set to start on June 10 and run through July 31, Monday through Friday. That is 38 days and up to 76 meals total.

Families in need of selected groceries items can also go to one of 30 food pantries in the county, according to the SC Food Access Map .