Updated Summer Meal Program

The University of the South’s South Cumberland Summer Meal Program will officially begin providing meals to local children and families on Monday, June 9, following a one-week delay caused by a nationwide disruption in meal service deliveries.

In order to meet demand from last year, the University has ordered 80,000 meals in preparation for the summer program, which ensures that children across the South Cumberland Plateau have access to nutritious meals during the summer months. However, like many other programs across the country, the University experienced a delay in the arrival of its shipment due to supply chain issues affecting large-scale meal providers.

“We know how much families in our region rely on these meals during the summer,”said Mandy Bouldin, Director of the South Cumberland Summer Meal Program.“While this delay was out of our control, we’re committed to making sure our community still receives the full eight weeks of service.”

To maintain the integrity and impact of the program, organizers have extended the schedule by one week. Originally set to end in late July, the program will now run through Saturday, Aug. 2, ensuring families still receive all eight weeks of meals as planned. An additional site in Pelham was added with this change to reach as many children as possible.

The South Cumberland Summer Meal Program is a vital community initiative, coordinated through the University of the South, that addresses food insecurity across Grundy, Franklin, and Marion counties. Meals are provided at no cost to children and teens under 18, with no registration or proof of income required.

Further details about meal pick-up locations and times can be found on the program’s Facebook page, South Cumberland Summer Meal Program and Instagram at scp_summermeal.