Columbia Public Schools will offer meals to students outside class starting March 30
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia Public Schools said it will start an out-of-class meal service on March 30 while district buildings are closed.
CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said the district is working on plans for the meal service with the USDA. She said the plans must be approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Once the district receives approval, Baumstark said CPS will be able to decide where and when the meals will be available.
Baumstark said the district does not typically provide meal service over spring break, which is scheduled for next week.
"This will take us right to the point in time after spring break for those additional two weeks that we are planning on being out," Baumstark said.
Baumstark said half of the student population of CPS qualifies for free and reduced-price lunch.
While the details of the meal service are being ironed out, Baumstark said the program will not work on an individual basis. The district plans on targeting high-need areas, such as those where schools qualify for Title I federal funding.
"And then relying on our community and faith-based partnerships to help bridge those gaps where we may have areas that don't necessarily have students that qualify fully for free and reduced lunch but certainly might have some immediate need," Baumstark said.
The district is working with non-profit organizations, such as the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, to make sure students and families get the resources they need during the time school is not in session and beyond.
CPS is directing any food or resource donations from the community to the Food Bank.
"We'll work with them directly on distribution and bridging the gaps for families," Baumstark said.
A CPS parent Rebecca Allen said she is a part of a Facebook dedicated to finding ways to feed students at Fairview Elementary School during the closure.
"I think that is probably going on other places too," Allen said. "Smaller groups organizations, parents that are trying to pull their resources together to assist what the school district is doing as a whole."
Allen expressed the importance of feeding students and making sure families have the resources they need.
"When (students) know they aren't going to get those critical meals that's heartbreaking," Allen said. "So it's important that we really try to band together and support those and what the district is doing."
And as CPS is preparing to close, Baumstark hopes the community will support those families in need.
"Just thinking about flexibility and patience and understanding that we are all in the same boat together," Baumstark said. "We will do everything we can to try to make the next several weeks go as smoothly as possible."
