Kids Eat Free at MUSC

Celebrating 10 years of service at MUSC!

The mission of Kids Eat Free at MUSC is to optimize health by providing adequate nutrition to children when school is out for summer break.

This USDA-sponsored program (Summer Food Service Program) ensures children have access to nutritious food when school is not in session by providing lunch to children in our cafeterias at no cost to the families or the enterprise.

We are proud to be the first hospital in the Southeast to ever participate in a summer feeding program, serving 2,385 meals our first year. Our partnership with Morrison, MUSC’s premier foodservice provider, and our expansion of Kids Eat Free to the Pee Dee division brought our service numbers to over 52,000 nutritious meals in the past 10 years!

During the summer months (when school is out) kids and teens can join us in participating MUSC hospital cafeterias for a hot lunch meal of their choice Monday through Friday.

We plan to provide meals to the community again in the Charleston and Pee Dee divisions and beyond for Summer 2025. Check this webpage closer to the summer months to find specific Kids Eat Free at MUSC sites, days, and times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Participate?

All children ages 18 and younger have access to the program, no matter where they live nor what brings them to MUSC.

How Does it Work?

The Kids Eat Free at MUSC program offers hot lunch meals to those 18 and younger at designated locations and during designated hours. Families are encouraged to stay and eat their meals on site.

When and Where Does it Happen?

Kids Eat Free at MUSC serves only during the summer months when school is out. We adjust service dates for each site in accordance with the closest school district’s calendar. You will find Kids Eat Free at MUSC in most of our hospital cafeterias, in various divisions throughout the state. Check this website for specific locations, dates, and times of service closer to the summer months.

Additionally, the Summer Food Service Program has over 1000 sites in South Carolina. You can find these sites by utilizing one of the resources below.

Text: “Food” to 304-304 or “Comida” to 304-304
Call: 211 or 866-3-HUNGRY (866-348-6479)
Visit: USDA Find Summer Meals website

How Can I Learn More About Food Insecurity and the USDA Program?

To learn more or request assistance, please contact Laura Nance at nancel@musc.edu.

Join the Fight Against Hunger

Food insecurity contributes to the rising cost of health care. Participation in hunger relief programs within health care’s existing infrastructure provides an opportunity to improve population health by increasing access to nutritious meals for those most in need. The purpose of this implementation guide is to provide:

• Basic information on the impact of food insecurity on health and the cost of health care.
• A brief explanation of the USDA's Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
• Examples of SFSP in a variety of hospitals and Health care settings.
• Steps for exploring how SFSP can be implemented in new hospitals and Health care settings.

Additional Resources

• The Hunger Vital Sign (PDF)
• Food Insecurity and Health: A Toolkit for Physicians and Health Care Organizations (PDF)

In the News

• MUSC Health-Pee Dee Division hosts summer Kids Eat Free program
• Health and well-being: Kids Eat Free at MUSC
• MUSC will offer children free breakfast, lunch during summer break
• Summer feeding program at MUSC provides free meals to children
• Food is Medicine: A hospital’s story of ending summer hunger in South Carolina
• Kids Eat Free at MUSC offers summer meals to children

To learn more, request assistance, or volunteer, please contact Laura Nance at nancel@musc.edu.