WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Students in the West Memphis school district will be out of school until March 30, but the state and school district are making sure they get two meals, twice a day.
Parents say that’s a blessing during difficult times.
In front of Maddux Elementary School, West Memphis school district food service employees were unloading a school bus recently. One by one they hand out meals to parents, pulling up in their cars, whose children depend on this food for breakfasts and lunch.
Heather Gordan cares for her three kids and her nephew.
“Being low income, sometimes not being able to work because of what’s going on, it really helps out with the budgeting, especially the way they eat,” Gordan said. “It’s a complete blessing, especially for those who aren’t able to work.”
Food pickup is from 8 to 9 in the morning and again from noon to 1 p.m. Students will get a lunch, complete with a sandwich, chips, fruit and milk.
Food service workers are at 10 sites throughout the West Memphis School District. Tuesday, they fed about 500 students.
“It is truly a blessing to be out and to be able to give them food to eat everyday,” said Michelle Holloway, a school employee.
Cafeteria manager Angela Brown said she was glad the district could do something to make sure kids weren’t going hungry.
Parent Paul Fowler said he thinks it’s a great idea, “because it gives kids food, nourishment that they need during the time that we are closed at home.”
Like many Mid-South school districts, West Memphis students aren’t in class because the district went on spring break a week early as a precaution to the coronavirus outbreak.
“In doing so we realized that for many of children, food insecurity is real,” Superintendent Jon Collins said. “We are grateful for our food service team prepping and practicing social distancing and prepping meals at three different sites.”
And for West Memphis parents and students, these meals are like a lifesaver, showing that in these times of social distancing, they are not alone and someone cares.
“It means they care a lot about their schools and their kids,” student Demethies Johnson said.
