Food programs are feeding students; resources available for food service workers

In just two days, the Lakeland School District distributed close to 1,000 Grab-and-Go meals at Athol Elementary, Timberlake High and Lakeland Junior High schools.

"We have nutrition service workers and district help from other departments," Lakeland Nutrition Services director Kevin Doyle said Friday. "It's a team effort at this point."

Lakeland's nutrition program, which partners with Chartwells Dining Services to provide healthy meals to students, is planning more than just sandwiches to feed any child from 1 to 18 during the coronavirus crisis. They're planning chicken Caesar salads, hot dogs and cheeseburgers, always accompanied by fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and milk.

He said they've had lines of people in cars waiting for these meals. Families roll up in vans, grandparents and siblings are driving the students to the sites and other kids are walking from emergency child care sites.

"At this point, we’re trying to feed the kids. This is the first time we've ever been thrust into an emergency feeding stage before spring break, or any time, for that matter," Doyle said. "It's great to be in a position to have the opportunity to provide these meals to kids. I feel blessed to be in the position to do that."

Lakeland is offering Grab-and-Go meals Monday through Friday from now until at least April 3 at Athol Elementary from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., at Timberlake High from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and at Lakeland Junior High from noon to 12:30 p.m. Each student will receive one breakfast and one lunch. The child must be present to receive the meal. Visit www.sd272.org for details.

Coeur d'Alene School District is operating its Grab-and-Go meal distribution at eight sites (see www.cdaschools.org for details) and added a ninth site at the Falls Creek Apartments at 2831 N. Julia St. in Coeur d'Alene beginning Monday 11 to 11:30 a.m. to address the volume of students who cannot get to the distribution sites in person. A 10th site was also added at the Kroc Center, 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. starting Monday.

In the Coeur d'Alene School District, 2,800 students receive free school meals while 880 receive reduced-price meals. On Wednesday, 492 Grab-and-Go meals were handed out, then 548 on Thursday and 568 on Friday.

"It gives you an idea on a normal day in our district how many families rely on this program," district spokesman Scott Maben said. "I'm sure there are families choosing not to do this, for whatever reason. I'm sure we could be helping more. We're looking for ways we can do that."

Maben said arrangements have already been made to provide provisions for the 600 Coeur d'Alene kids who receive backpacks of food on weekends.

For those normally on the serving end of meals in the community, help is on the way for you, too.

Restaurant workers and food service employees who are impacted by coronavirus closures and restrictions can look to United Way of North Idaho's Coeur d'Alene Coronavirus Relief Fund, an organization of several local entities to provide support for those who need assistance. The nonprofit CDAIDE is taking the charge for hospitality and restaurant workers.

"For restaurant workers, their best bet is going to be reaching out to CDAIDE, they're one of our partners," said UWNI executive director Mark Tucker. "We know that's going to be a big impact on this community."

UWNI community impact director Keri Stark said www.northidahoconnections.org is a good connection point at this time, and she encourages community organizations to make sure all of their online information is correct.

"There are a lot of people displaced out of the service industry," she said, but on the flip side, grocery stores "are hiring a lot to keep up the stocking demands."

Info: www.UnitedWayofNorthIdaho.org/coronavirus-relief-fund

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