COVID-19 School Meal Spotlights

USDA - United States Department of Agriculture
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March 3, 2021

COVID-19 School Meal Spotlights

Under challenging circumstances during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, school communities have worked tirelessly to ensure children have access to meals. Below are some of their inspirational stories. Share your school/school district story with us @TeamNutrition.

A collage of diverse children holding school meals

The Houston County School Nutrition Program served more than 1 million meals to children between March and June 2020.


Adams 12 Five Star Schools Uses Creative Meal Service Methods

School Nutrition Professionals preparing school meals to go

Since March 2020, Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Colorado has served more than 2.2 million meals to 4,000 children using creative meal service methods such as mobile meal service, in-person grab n’ go, and walk-up and drive-thru meal service. Read more...


Coupeville School District Continues Cooking from Scratch

Homemade spaghetti with meatball for school lunch

As of February 2021, Coupeville School District in Washington state includes foods made from scratch in each of the 750 weekly meal boxes they distribute through the Summer Food Service Program. At least 85 percent of meals have something homemade, and they use locally procured foods whenever possible. Read more...


Houston County Schools Provides Meals and Smiles

School Nutrition Professionals dressed in costume for school meal pickup

The Houston County School Nutrition Program in Georgia has adapted its school meals program to provide meals for virtual and in-person students. In addition to providing nutritious meals, staff and families have demonstrated their support of each other during creative drive-thru events. Read more...

 


Marietta City Schools Deliver Meals by Bus

Young boy receiving school meals delivered by school staff from a school bus

Marietta City Schools in Georgia distributes meals each day along 31 bus routes with 81 bus stops. Teachers and district staff have joined in to ride the bus and deliver meals to students -- boosting staff and student morale. Read more...


Randolph County Schools Partners Up

School Nutrition Professionals standing behind bulk quantities of school meal items

Randolph County Schools in West Virginia has worked with numerous partners during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure children have access to meals. A partnership with a local college has helped the school district distribute 25,000 meals per week through 3 school sites in the county. Read more...


Union Public Schools Implements Efficiencies in Packaging Meals

School Nutrition Professionals standing with hundreds of packaged school meals

Union Public Schools in Oklahoma has served more than 2.3 million meals and packaged more than 6.5 million individual food items between March 2020 and January 2021. Approximately 62 child nutrition employees have worked to provide free breakfasts, lunches, and suppers for children, totaling more than 76,000 meals per week. Read more...


“The school nutrition staff aim to be the bright spot for families - every day, every student, every time.”

 - Molly Brandt, Adams 12 Five Star Schools Director of Nutrition