The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) kicked off its summer food service program today at Richland Library’s North Main location. The program, better known as Summer Break Café, is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provides free meals for children 18 and under from June through August.

Summer Break Cafés are located throughout the state at designated sites including parks, libraries, churches and schools. “We are excited to partner with organizations across South Carolina to offer Summer Break Cafés this summer,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “Hunger and malnutrition not only make students more prone to illness and health issues, but can also negatively impact school performance once the semester begins. Summer Break Cafés can help fill the nutritional gap and give students the meals to be happy and healthy.”  

Since 2019, the South Carolina Department of Education and its sponsors have served over 25 million meals to children. 

“During the summer months it is vital that students have access to nutritious meals,” said Melanie Huggins, executive director, Richland Library. "Providing Summer Break Cafés at three of our Richland Library locations allows us  the opportunity to connect children and their families to good food and high-quality, free educational resources."

For up-to-date information regarding sites and times of operation, explore the USDA Summer Meals Map or text FOOD to 304-304. If interested in becoming a Summer Break Café site or sponsor, please visit www.summerbreakcafe.com. 

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In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to 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; or

2.    fax:

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

email:

program.intake@usda.gov