Free meals available for CPS students over spring break

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

While many Missouri public schools are making efforts to provide meals for students while schools are closed because of COVID-19, some of their meal programs do not extend through spring break.

One local organization in Columbia is working to change that.

EquipmentShare, a contracting business started in Columbia, created a No Child Hungry program. Organizers plan to give out at least 100 meals each day Monday through Friday. On Monday, the group handed out at least 175.

Columbia Public Schools will begin providing meals on March 30, but CPS leaders say they cannot provide meals during spring break week.

Matt Bade, a project manager at EquipmentShare, was one of the creators of the program.

"CPS is not currently equipped to help kids in need, and a large portion of children in Columbia Public Schools do depend on the school lunches," Bade said. "During this gap, that's really where we are focusing our efforts."

Meal deliveries will start at 10:30 a.m. each day at Jay Dix Station Park (3725 S. Scott Blvd.) and Frederick Douglass High School (310 N Providence Road). The meals are first-come-first-served and will be one meal per person.

The group posted to Facebook, telling people planning to get a free meal to look for the white truck in the photo:

Jeremiah Settles, a teacher at Frederick Douglass High School, is helping with the program. He said they also started a donation page in hopes of being able to provide more free meals for the community. So far, the page has raised $3,820 in just five days.

You can donate to the program here.

"It's a weird way to think about it. We're coming together as a community but we're staying apart," Settles said. "So we're trying to do social distancing and still be supportive."