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ECMS student collect more than 1,000 food items
11.28 ECMS food drive
ECMS organize their donations. - photo by Photo provided

Effingham County Middle School students recently collected more than 1,000 food items and $316 in change during their “Can and Coin Food Drive” to benefit the local GLOW Ministry.  

The drive was sponsored by the ECMS BETA Club. The money collected was used to help GLOW purchase turkeys for their Thanksgiving baskets.  GLOW, which stands for “God Loves Orphans and Widows,” is a ministry outreach program of Grace Community Church in Rincon.

All the students at ECMS were challenged to participate in the food and coin drive and the homeroom from each grade level that collected the most items were rewarded with a pizza party. The winning classes and the amounts they collected included: sixth grade, Mrs. Graff’s class with 199 items; seventh grade, Mrs. Gibson’s class with 110 items; and eighth grade, Mr. Smith’s class with 224 items.

Effingham School Board Approves $203M budget with Potential Property Tax Increase
2026 budget
This chart illustrates how the Effingham County School District’s $203 million general fund is allocated for fiscal year 2026, including spending on salaries, benefits, transportation, health services, and safety and security. (Courtesy of Effingham School District)
The Effingham County Board of Education approved a $203 million fiscal year 2026 budget Thursday night, reflecting an 11% increase over last year. The rise is largely due to an $8 million spike in health and retirement benefit costs for employees. To help cover the shortfall, the district may raise the property tax millage rate, potentially increasing homeowners’ taxes by up to 12 percent.
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