BCSD Brings Summertime Sustenance to the Community with Seamless Summer Option Program
The Beaufort County School District has announced a harmonious summer solution meant to address the issue of food scarcity during the summer months. Participation in the Seamless Summer Option Program will ensure that free meals are provided to all community members under the age of 18 throughout the summer vacation period.
The school district issued a statement, which declared that acceptance and participation in the program will be uniform for everyone, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. The aim of the program is to guarantee that no discrimination occurs during the course of meal service.
The availability of this food-related service is extended to people under a variety of locations, including but not limited to the Beaufort County Libraries, Beaufort County Parks & Recreation, and several branches of the Beaufort Jasper YMCA. In addition, multiple branches of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry, Lady’s Island Baptist Church and several others are enlisted as part of the summer food program. Anyone interested in enrolling in the program can directly contact the sites listed in the BCSD statement.
Program Schedule and Sites
The Seamless Summer Option Program will be conducted from June 10 through July 31, 2024. Lunch hours will vary depending on the location but will mostly be within the period of 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The following sites are open to the public:
- Beaufort County Libraries
- Beaufort County Parks & Recreation
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry
- Beaufort-Jasper YMCA
- Wright Directions
- Neighborhood Outreach Center
- Lady’s Island Baptist Church
- Church of the Harvest Apostolic
- Thumbs Up Education Center — Beaufort Seventh-day Adventist Church
Meals will be provided at these sites only to enrollees of the program. Anyone interested in benefiting from this initiative can reach out directly to the aforementioned program sites.
Nondiscrimination Statement
The school district also released a nondiscrimination statement in accordance with the Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies. It clarifies that the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are forbidden from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted by USDA.
The Beaufort County School District is dedicated to being an equal opportunity provider. This groundbreaking initiative will undoubtedly go a long way in ensuring that Beaufort’s younger generations receive necessary sustenance during the summer months.
