OpenAI announced a $4.8 million commitment to pay for student breakfast and lunch costs in the Effingham County School District for the 2026-2027 school year beginning Sept. 8.
The commitment fulfills the agreement under the Community Fund for Project Camellia, a $20 billion investment by OpenAI to build a data center campus on 1,440 acres in Rincon.
"It is a broader commitment to Effingham County, with investments shaped by local priorities," said a spokesperson from OpenAI regarding the Community Fund. "Since then, we’ve been talking with the community every day through door-to-door outreach, phone calls, emails and our website, along with meetings with HOAs, neighborhood groups and community organizations, to understand where that funding could
make the most difference. Supporting students and families emerged as a clear priority, and county and school leaders identified school meals as something we could help with immediately."
According to ECSD Communications Coordinator Tiffany Altman, the district's current enrollment is 14,148 and 7,158 are already receiving free or reduced lunches. Breakfast meals cost $2.50 while lunch costs $3.50. The grant will cover all meals for each student each day. The funding donation will remain in place throughout the year regardless of the future of OpenAI at the proposed site.
"From the beginning, we said our $80 million community commitment should reflect the priorities of Effingham County residents," Hank Evans, who leads community engagement for OpenAI, said in a press release. "We have met with residents, leaders, and local organizations to make sure the community has a stake in the decisions on how this investment positively affects where they live. School meals emerged as one way we can immediately help families. This $4.8 million commitment will cover student breakfast and lunches this school year while broader community input continues to shape how we direct future funding."
While collecting feedback from the community on how the $80 million community investment should be invested, a conversation emerged between OpenAI and the school district while discussing ways to serve the community, and the two parties agreed school meals would be a great way to provide economic relief to parents and students.
"This generous commitment from OpenAI provides immediate, practical relief for our community," said Dr. Yancy Ford, ECSD Superintendent in a press release. "Providing meals for our students allows our families extra financial flexibility while ensuring our students are nourished and ready to learn every day."
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: OpenAI contributes $4.8 million to school meals in Effingham County
