13,000 school districts, comprising the entirety of the U.S. educational system, are currently closed to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Flattening the curve is essential, but so is feeding kids. And for many students, school is the one place they can count on for a meal. Fortunately, school leaders across the country are stepping up and finding ways to keep feeding students during school closures.
These are the inspiring stories of districts that are partnering with Aramark to feed students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lincoln Consolidated School District, Arkansas
In Lincoln, Arkansas, bus drivers, Aramark employees, school staff, and other volunteers are working together to feed students. They are providing meals at school buildings, along bus routes, and in other community locations, to anyone 18 and younger in the home. On the first day of school closures, they delivered 700 meals!
Naperville School District, Illinois
District 203 has expanded food service to students in need. Aramark is packaging grab-and-go meals for two to three days, available for pick-up at three locations.
Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, Texas
In Goose Creek, the food services team at nineteen campuses prepares sack meals for distribution to their residents. Each student 18 years or younger receives a free breakfast and lunch bag each day. The menu alternates between hot and cold lunch entrées. In the first week and a half of meal distributions, the Goose Creek team served over 17,000 meals.
Lowell Public Schools, Massachusetts
LPS Superintendent Joel Boyd and a group of staffers and volunteers provided over 4,000 pounds of food to families and those in need. This included boxes filled with cantaloupe, organic soup, spinach, lean ground beef, and oranges. They also served 600 leftover lunches with sandwiches, milk, and carrots. They plan to repeat the free meal event. District food services will stay open while schools are closed.
School District of Beloit, Illinois
Prior to the first day of distribution, Aramark staff spent 13 hours assembling more than 10,000 meals for the children of Beloit. Any child from age 1 to 18 can get a grab-and-go meal, whether or not they are enrolled in the district.
Pekin Public Schools, Illinois
With support from Aramark and City Bus Company, District 108 was able to expand the number of lunch pick-up sites from four to 17! And families who still can’t make it can secure alternate arrangements.
Chicago Public Schools
In the third-largest school district in the country, they handed out over 500,000 meals in just three days of coronavirus closures. Aramark’s response to the drastic school closure? Serve any family in Chicago with three days of meals for as long as schools are closed, no questions asked.
Queensbury Union Free School District, New York
In Queensbury, they’re using school buses to make sure students stay well fed during the shutdown. They’re delivering hundreds of lunches each day and continuing their SnackPack program to help families get through the weekend.
Greater Clark County Schools, Indiana
This Indiana school district has figured out how to provide large-scale food distribution to students during the school closures. In one weekend, Aramark worked with employees and volunteers to prepare 10,000 meal packages of breakfast and lunch for drive-thru distribution.
Want to know how Aramark can assist you in your response to COVID-19?
As the effects of the spread of COVID-19 continue to evolve, Aramark is committed to supporting the safety and well-being of its employees, customers, and local communities. Let them know how they can help you.