Some Local School Districts Set Up 'Grab & Go' Meals
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public schools are making an effort to ensure schoolchildren are continuing to get the nutrition they need despite the closures forced by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The North Adams Public Schools initially set up locations for "grab and go" meals on Monday at Colegrove Park and Brayton elementary schools. That will be expanded to Mohawk Forest Apartments and Greylock Valley Apartments on Tuesday to accommodate parents and caregivers that may not be able to pick up at the school lo.
All food will be delivered for curbside pickup from 11 to noon weekdays through April 3. The bags will include a lunch as well as a breakfast item for the next morning. Meals are being provided at a first-come, first-serve basis and the children must be present to receive one breakfast and one lunch per day.
Superintendent of Schools Barbara Malkas said Friday that the schools would not be offering a supper program but the district's food services director Corey Nicholas would be working with area agencies to see how it could help.
"We have a pretty good working relationship with other area agencies. We're seeing where the district can provide food not being used to other resources organizations," she said. "So people will have access to good nutritious food over the next few weeks."
The school district has been offering free breakfast and lunches to all of its 1,400 students since 2015 through the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. It also provides a snack and summer school program serves up to 4,000 meals during a six-week period as well as a supper program at Brayton for eligible children and parents. The supper program is currently suspended during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has made modifications in the federal school lunch program to allow for this changes for school districts with high percentages of low-income students. Gov. Charlie Baker on Sunday said the state was anticipating further waivers for all school districts.
Hoosac Valley Regional School District is continuning its breakfast and lunch program also as a grab and go between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. weekdays from the Hoosac Valley Elementary School's cafeteria in Adams. Parents and caregivers should go to the back door of the cafeteria near the playground for pickups. These meals are free for all children age 18 and younger.
The Pittsfield Public Schools and is offering its bagged meals for schoolchildren from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays through March 27 at the following locations:
- Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St.
- Conte Community School, 200 West Union St.
- Dower Square Housing Village, 253 Wahconah St.
- The Berkshire Family YMCA, 292 North St.
- Gladys Brigham Center, 165 East St.
- Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires,16 Melville St.
- The Brattlebrook Apartments, April Lane
Tags: COVID-19,
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