Columbia, S.C. - The South Carolina Department of Education's Office of Health and Nutrition is offering an excellent opportunity for local government agencies, school districts, faith-based and private nonprofit organizations to provide summer meals to children by becoming a sponsor for our Summer Food Service Program.
The Department of Education is seeking sponsors for our Summer Food Service Program in the following counties: Abbeville, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Lancaster, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg,Sumter, Union and Williamsburg.
The Office of Health and Nutrition will hold mandatory prospective new sponsor training on the Summer Food Service Program on April 4-5, 2017 at the State Farmers Market (T. Ashton Phillips Market Center), located at 117 Ballard Court in Columbia. Registration for this meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m on April 4. Training will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on April 4 and from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on April 5.
This mandatory two-day training is designed for all prospective new sponsors that are interested in offering meals through the Summer Food Service Program in 2017. Participants will be trained on monitoring, food preparation and service, meal counting, claims for reimbursements, marketing and other topics related to the program.
Program sponsors can operate meal sites to feed students at various sites such as schools, churches, recreation centers, hospital cafeterias, farmer’s markets, community and migrant centers, and other areas in their local community. Sponsors are reimbursed for the approved meals that are served.
This program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the South Carolina Department of Education to serve healthy meals to children during the summer months when school is not in session.
Interested participants should RSVP by Monday, March 27, 2017 at summerfood@ed.sc.gov or call Joann Minder at (803) 734-0527. For more information on the Summer Food Service Program, visit http://www.ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/health-and-nutrition/special-programs/usda-summer-meal-programs/.
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In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by the USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact the USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 1 (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to the USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 1 (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to the USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
