Part of the Virtual Culture and Climate Series – Spring 2020

Ideas contributed by the Jostens Renaissance educator community and shared in a Facebook Live presentation on March 23, 2020. (Photo from Tim Schlosser, Franklin-Simpson School District.)

Shameka Gerald, Principal, Heritage High School, Newport News, Virginia

• All students receive meals regardless of lunch status
• Various locations set up throughout the district
• Grab and go meals
• Some local businesses and restaurants are providing free meals to kids

Bradlee and Melissa Skinner, Teachers, Green River, Wyoming

• Personally driving to homes to deliver meals in addition to pickup spots at schools

Tim Schlosser, Superintendent, Franklin-Simpson School District, Franklin, KY

• Buses are running regular bus routes from 11-1 each day to deliver lunch for that day AND breakfast for the next morning
• Delivering to over 1,500 students per day
• Also have two drive up locations
• Transportation staff and food service staff are going above and beyond

Erin Livingston, Teacher, Aloha High School, Beaverton, Oregon

• Set up a distribution center at school
• Used their school pantry for some items
• Use a program called “Urban Cleaners,” an organization that takes leftover food from businesses and restaurants and brings it to low income schools within the school district

DeWayne Patterson, Teacher, Bixby High School, Bixby, Oklahoma

• Grab and go at school
• Leadership kids wrote positive notes to go with the meals
• Delivery service set up for students who can’t get to the school through a Google doc form

Lizzie Herring, AP, Mayde Creek High School, Houston, TX

• Set up locations at all elementary schools because MOST people in the district are within walking distance of an elementary school
• Distributing sack lunch/breakfast foods right now, but will transition to hot meals soon

Rhett Ladner, Assistant Superintendent, Mississippi

• Pickup sites throughout the district, family puts a piece of paper in the window with the number of meals that they need
• Distributing over 1,700 meals per day

Darrin Peppard, Superintendent, West Grand School District, Kremmling, CO

• Buses running routes to deliver meals
• Pickup sites at school as well (suggest zones to stagger timing as well as distance)
• Distributing WIFI hotspots to families without WIFI

Sara Cowey, Teacher, San Mateo High School, San Mateo, CA

• Delivering over 500 meals per day

Nikki Miller, Principal, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes, DE

• In addition to food, distributing books for students to read at home

How is your school getting meals to those who need them? Email your story to [email protected].