- COVID-19 quiets Sitka streets, but hasn’t curbed Rush to Stock Up - April 25, 2020
- Sitka School District distributes 5,950 meals per week - April 24, 2020
Although the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order was capable of forcing the district to close its doors, it was not capable of stopping it from feeding the children. Within days of the state’s March 11th announcement of Health Mandate 008, Sitka School District began working on a meal distribution program to help feed local children under the age of 19, regardless of their enrollment status with the district. To begin the process, District staff and NANA Food Services worked closely with Alaska’s Child Nutrition Program to develop the plan and receive compliance waivers.
Leslie Young, the district’s Food Services and Grants Accountant, said it took about 5 days to get the system up and running. “During the first week of distribution, we handed out 200 lunch bags per day. Each bag contained both a breakfast and a lunch, with items such as milk, fruit, cereal, whole grain sandwiches, and vegetables.’
By the second week, the staff was packaging six to eight meals in a single bag and distributing them twice a week, which has additional benefits. “The less we require staff to be on location,’ she explained, “the better we can comply with the shelter-in-place order.’ As word began to spread, week 3 proved the program to be a necessity when more than one-third of the district’s 1205 students took advantage of the free meals, and now, 425 students are benefitting from the program daily.
Business Manager and Food Service Director, Cassee Olin added, “Not only do a quarter of our students already rely on free or reduced lunches, but we now have a whole new slew of families that are unable to work during the shelter-in-place order. These are hard times and if we can help alleviate the financial stress parents may be feeling, perhaps that will allow them more time to focus on other developing issues.’
Alishia McGraw, a 38-year-old mother of four, expressed her gratitude for being able to supply her children with two hardy meals a day. “Since this all began a month ago, I haven’t been able to work. Knowing my kids are eating has definitely helped ease my mind. I have two teenage boys that are capable of eating twice the amount provided, but I am extremely thankful for the portions we are given.’
AmeriCorps volunteers and NANA are passing out the food bags during curbside pickup between 8:30am and noon, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Wearing approved gloves and facemasks, workers hand the meals to waiting customers through open windows of vehicles. Some cars are receiving enough food for one child, while others are collecting for households containing six children.
“We’re all doing what we can to help those in need,’ said 24-year-old volunteer Ashley Nessler. “Their gratitude is what keeps me going, and makes showing up at 7:15am much easier.’
Prewitt Bus Company, contracted through the district, is delivering meals to households that have quarantined members or limited transportation.
To get the word out, Young has used a variety of resources, from ads in the Sitka Sentinel to social media. Facebook and Instagram are inundated with daily messages regarding the program, and the high school reader board that sits on the busiest street in town promotes the meal distribution plan by listing the weekdays, times, and location the food bags can be picked up.
Olin, whose duties include running the program, said the average cost to feed one child per day is $2.90, and that meal ticket is being paid for through a federal program. “It’s during difficult times like this that we need to come together as a community and think about the welfare of our children.’
Sitka School District plans to maintain the program until on-campus learning resumes or until the last day of school, scheduled for May 22. For further information, please contact Leslie Young at 966-1249.
