Florence School District 3 food service staff arrived at Lake City High School at 6 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, to begin preparing 1,500 meals for students.
Custodians loaded eight buses that delivered meals in Lake City, Coward, Olanta and Scranton, while bus drivers drove their regular routes to offer meals at their usual bus stops.
FSD3 Superintendent Laura Hickson said the district is prepared to distribute more than 1500 if necessary. “We want to ensure our students are still able to be engaged in learning and can receive breakfast and lunch during school closures.”
After South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster ordered all schools to close through March 31 to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, Florence School District 3 implemented a meal program in order to continue feeding students during the shutdown.
The South Carolina Department of Education received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow eligible school districts to serve free meals while schools are closed.
The district is using school buses to deliver breakfast and lunch to students at the regular bus stops from 10 a.m.-noon. “Grab and go” meals also are available for car pick up only at the car line at Lake City High School each weekday from 10 a.m.-noon through March 31. Signage will be posted on campus to direct vehicles to the meal pickup location. All children under 18 years old can pick up meals.