Bulloch Co Schools: Free summer meals for any children ages 0-18, Weekly pick up begins June 5, On-Site meals May 31

Updated times as of 06/05/2023: See Summer Nutrition Program sees high volumes, Time adjusted for weekly pick up meal option.

ORIGINAL:

Bulloch County Schools will host a free Summer Nutrition Program for any children in Bulloch County, ages birth to 18 years of age, and any students who are over 18 who have been diagnosed with a state-defined mental or physical disability. The four-week pick up program begins June 5, and will feature drive-thru food pick ups each Monday at three schools. The daily on-site sit down meals program begins May 31, and will feature breakfast and lunch at three schools.

All sites are open to any child. They are not limited to school zones or residency.

This year families have the choice to either pick up a box of meals each week or go to a school cafeteria on weekdays for sit down meal service. Multiple locations are available to best provide service throughout the county. They are selected based on federal guidelines for the program. For this reason, the school district is unable to place sites at each school.

Families do not have to pre-register or pre-order to receive meals. The program will also provide free breakfasts and lunches to children who participate in the school district’s Summer Learning Opportunities program. Meal menus are available here. 

Weekly Meal Pick Up Option – Every Monday in June, 8 a.m. – 12 noon

• Drive to the front of the school site, and nutrition staff will give you a box of food for each child. Children do not have to be in the vehicle for a parent or guardian to pick up meals. The box will contain perishable and non-perishable food for five breakfasts and five lunches. On June 5, the boxes will also contain a free children’s book from the Statesboro Regional Library.
• Food Pick Up Dates: June 5, 12, 19, & 26, from 8 a.m. -12 noon
• Designated Food Pick Up Sites:
  • Statesboro High School, 10 Coach Lee Hill Boulevard, Statesboro
  • Nevils Elementary School, 8438 Nevils Groveland Road, Statesboro
  • Portal Middle High School, 27245 U.S. Highway 80 West, Portal

Daily On-Site Breakfast & Lunch Meal Service – Weekdays (M-F), May 31 – June 30, 7:45 a.m. – 12 noon

• Children may come to these sites each weekday to eat a single breakfast, lunch or both on site during designated times. Federal regulations do not permit any food to leave the site for this option.
• On-site Sit Down Meal Dates: Each weekday (Mon. – Fri.) May 31 to June 30
  • Breakfast is served 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
  • Lunch is served 11:30 a.m. – 12 noon
• On-site Sit Down Meal Service Sites:
  • Mattie Lively Elementary School, 204 Debbie Drive, Statesboro
  • Julia P. Bryant Elementary School, 421 W. Main Street, Statesboro
  • Sallie Zetterower Elementary School, 1200 Cawana Road, Statesboro

Bulloch READS – Feeding young minds with books
The Bulloch County Literacy Council, through its Bulloch READS initiative, has multiple free book drop events planned this summer for children. On June 5, the Statesboro Regional Library, a Literacy Council partner, will place a free children’s book in each box for families who use the weekly drive-thru meal pick up sites.

Bulloch County Schools
Bulloch County Schools is able to provide its Summer Feeding Program with support from the United States Department of Agriculture’ Summer Food Service Program. Bulloch County Schools and its School Nutrition Department do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age or gender. For additional information about the Summer Nutrition Program, contact Desiree Yaeger, the school nutrition services director, at 912.212.8620 or by email.

USDA Summer Food Service Program
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Food Service Program ensures children have access to nutritious meals and snacks when school is not in session. The Summer Food Service Program is a federally-funded, state-administered program. USDA reimburses program operators who serve no-cost, healthy meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas.

More Food Resources
Want more information about food resources near you, use these location finders:

• Use Food Finder. Text FOODGA to 877877 from your digital device beginning June 1, and you will receive results that provide a map to the resources nearest to you
• Access the Summer Meals Finder Map to find the closest food resources near you
• Dial 1.866.3.HUNGRY (1.866.348.6479) to find locations.
• Use the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) online Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder

About Food Finder
Food Finder is a food pantry locator and 501(c)(3) nonprofit that shows you when and where to get free food assistance in your area. The map on their homepage is a map of food pantries and school meal locations – every pin that appears is a food assistance program nearby. Tap on one to see when they offer food service.