Monroe Public Schools Food Service and Transportation staff prepared and delivered nearly 1,800 student meals on the first day of the state-ordered school closures. Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered the closure of all K-12 Michigan schools to slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19).
On Saturday, MPS announced plans for bus drivers to make stops throughout the district on weekday mornings to drop off boxed meals for students and children 18 and under. Meals are also being passed out, Monday-Friday, at Monroe Middle School, from 10 a.m. until noon.
March 16th was the first day for food delivery, and the response was tremendous. Almost 900 meal boxes, each containing two meals (breakfast AND lunch), were distributed to children in the school community.
“Our food service workers and bus drivers were the champions of Monroe today!” Superintendent Dr. Julie Everly proclaimed in an email to district staff. “Amongst the unknown fear, there was joy, pride, and goodness,” she stated. “A big cheer to our Transportation and Food Service Departments!”
When school is in session, Monroe Public Schools offers free breakfast and lunch to all of the district’s students.
“We are aware that many families rely on the meals we serve each day to our students,”
Dr. Everly said. “It was a top priority for us to ensure that the children in our community continue to receive nourishing food during the days and weeks that our buildings are closed.”
Families do not need to sign up ahead of time, and no ID is required, she said. Any child, or any adult representing children, may pick up the meals. On Fridays, additional food will be distributed to provide weekend meals.
The MPS buses are also stocked with school supplies and extra charging cords that can be provided for those who need them. If a child’s Chromebook malfunctions, MPS families will also be able to send it on the bus with a repair slip to the district’s Technology staff.
Dr. Everly anticipates the numbers to grow as the program moves forward. The distribution routes and times are posted on the MPS website and were also published in the March 16th edition of the Monroe News.