As the 2023-2024 school year comes to an end for many students across the Upstate, school districts across the Upstate recently announced free summer breakfast and lunch programs to combat hunger, food insecurity and limited nutrition resources for area families in need.
According to the Greenville News, food deserts have appeared in Greenville’s 17th, 18th, 19th and 25th neighborhoods. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food deserts typically occur in areas with low populations, a high rate of abandoned or vacant properties, low incomes and high unemployment.
Spartanburg’s south side residents lost their Piggly Wiggly grocery store in late 2023, and many locals are left without a grocery store within walking distance after a Save-A-Lot store closed in 2019. In Anderson, homes near the downtown area, along Alphabet Street, or near East Widner Street have little access to affordable, nutritious food nearby.
For those in need of free breakfast and lunch nutrition service options in Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson, here is a list of programs taking place in July and August across the Upstate.
Greenville County Food Desert
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Where to Find Free Breakfast and Lunch Options
Greenville County Schools Food and Nutrition Services will partner with the Seamless Summer Lunch Program from June through July, providing two meals a day, Monday through Thursday, June 3rd through Aug. 1st, at 13 schools across the county.
All children under the age of 18 are eligible to participate in the program.
On Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, the first day of the new school year in the Greenville County School District, Principal Damon Qualls visited with students during lunch at Mona View Elementary School.
The following schools will serve breakfast from 8am to 9am and lunch from 11am to 12:30pm:
Roper Mountain Science Center will be serving lunch from 10:30am-1pm, Monday-Saturday, June 1 through July 27. All Seamless Summer Food Service Program locations will be closed over the Fourth of July holiday.
For more information, visit http://gcsfans.com or call 864-355-3100.
Children in Greenville and Pickens counties will be getting free meals this summer.
Free Breakfast and Lunch Options in Spartanburg
Spartanburg School District 7 is currently offering free summer meals to those 18 and under through the USDA Summer Meals Program.
Here is a list of participating sites running between now and August:
St. Paul Missionary Church — June 3 to Aug. 10, Breakfast: 8 to 9 a.m., Lunch: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
PCA Piedmont Community Action — June 3 to July 26, Breakfast: 8:15 a.m. to 9:04 a.m., Lunch: 11:15 a.m. to noon
CC Woodson — June 3 through Aug. 2, Lunch: 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Thornton Center — June 10 to July 24, Lunch: 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center — June 3 through Aug. 2, Lunch: 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Macedonia Baptist Church — May 28-Aug. 2, breakfast: 8:15-9 a.m., lunch: noon-1 p.m.
Willis Road YMCA — May 28 to Aug. 2, Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Maranatha Ministries — June 3 to August 2, Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Una New Life — June 3 to August 2, Breakfast: 8am to 9am, Lunch: 11:30am to 12:30pm
Free breakfast and lunch in Anderson
Available until July 19th
Centerville — Breakfast: 7:45am-8:30am, Lunch: 11:30am-12:30pm
Friendship Court Apartments — Lunch: 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Glenview Middle School — Breakfast: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Lunch: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Toxaway United Methodist — Lunch: noon to 1 p.m.
Welfare Baptist Church — Breakfast: 8:30am-9:30pm, Lunch: 11:30am-12:30pm
Trinity Christian — Breakfast: 8:30am-9:30pm, Lunch: 11:30am-12:30pm
Grace Baptist — Breakfast: 9-10 a.m.; Lunch: 11-11:45 a.m.
A list of additional stores open in Anderson:
Midway — Available June 6 to July 17, Breakfast: 9:00am-9:30am, Lunch: 11:00am-1:00pm
New Prospect — Open May 28 to June 27, Breakfast: 7:30am to 8:30am, Lunch: 11am to 12:30pm
Robert Anderson Middle School — Available June 3 through June 27, Breakfast: 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., Lunch: 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
TL Hanna High — Available May 23 to July 19, breakfast 7:30am to 8:30pm, lunch 11am to 12:30pm
This list will be updated, so please check back for additional information.
Have we missed any free meal programs for kids under 18? Please send us an up-to-date list and locations at ajackson@gannett.com.
– AJ Jackson covers the food & dining scene, arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him via email at ajackson@gannett.com or follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from readers like you. Sign up for a digital subscription today.
This article originally appeared in the Greenville News: Free summer meal programs in Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson here
