Free Summer Meal Programs Launched in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson

Around the Upstate regions, the end of the 2023-2024 school year marks the beginning of free summer breakfast and lunch initiatives. These programs are intended to help combat food scarcity, particularly in food deserts and regions with limited nutritional resources for families. Areas affected by these food deserts include Greenville’s Districts 17, 18, 19, and 25.

Food deserts, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), typically occur in regions with smaller populations, higher rates of vacant or abandoned homes, lower incomes, and higher unemployment rates. In recent years, grocery stores like Piggly Wiggly and Save-A-Lot have shuttered in places like Spartanburg’s southside, leaving residents with limited options. Similarly, in Anderson, homes around downtown and near East Whitner Street have little access to affordable, nutritionally sound food.

Details of Summer Food Programs

For families in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson who need access to free breakfast and lunch nutrition services, various programs will be conducted throughout July and August. The details of these programs are provided below:

Free Meals in Greenville

The Food and Nutrition Services of Greenville County Schools will collaborate with the Seamless Summer Food Service Program through June and July. Thirteen different school sites across the county will offer two meals a day, from Monday to Thursday, starting June 3 through August 1. All children under 18 can participate in the program. The program provides breakfast from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Free Meals in Spartanburg

In Spartanburg, School District Seven is currently running a free summer meal program for children aged 18 and under. This is made possible with the assistance of the USDA’s Summer Meals Programs. The program, which spans multiple participating sites, will continue until August.

Free Meals in Anderson

Several locations in Anderson are offering free meals through July 19. Meals are made accessible to all at predetermined times and locations throughout the city. For additional information on meal times, please refer to the provided list.

Contact Information

For more details about these programs, families are encouraged to reach out to ajackson@gannett.com. HERE news network is committed to bringing you the most accurate and up-to-date information.

If you are aware of any other free food programs for children under the age of 18 that have not been included in this article, we urge you to contact us with updated lists of those programs and their site locations.