School adapts to provide meals to kids

The closure of schools across the country due to COVID-19 has many impacts for families. In addition to providing education, socialization and supervision for kids, schools also provide important nutrition through their lunch and breakfast programs.

While schools don’t have the option of hosting students for meals during the current shut down, North Iowa Community School is doing what it can to keep kids fed by delivering meals each weekday.

Food Service Director Laura Sunde got the program up and running at North Iowa, and they began delivering meals last Monday. The school is utilizing the same USDA program they use to provide free lunches to kids in the summer. It’s not normally available during the school year, but Sunde says the USDA decided to implement the program now due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Sunde says it’s been a bit of a transition, but the meal program is going very well. “I have a lot of helping hands to make it all work smoothly,” said Sunde. Some of the school staff members help to prepare and deliver meals, and the bus drivers have been helping with deliveries as well.

She says she’s had a really good crew in the kitchen, and the only issue they’ve run into is the availability of some products, such as containers and paper sacks for deliveries. “Meals have been getting delivered rain or shine,” said Sunde. “The kids are excited to see what’s in the sack each day.”

Sunde says they’ve also been getting a lot of ‘thank yous’ from people in the community for doing the food program.

Superintendent Joe Erickson says the food program allows kids to get meals while follow social distancing protocols. The school regularly delivers more than 200 meals each day. All children ages 3-18 are eligible for the program, regardless of whether they attend North Iowa, and people can sign up for whichever days they need.

Each town in the school district has at least one drop-off location for meals, including one in Titonka. In addition to lunches, the kids also receive some type of snack each day.

Erickson says the program is nice for the school staff, as well, because it gives them a chance to see some of their coworkers and students – even if it’s at a distance.

The school previously sent out surveys to get people signed up for this program, but anyone can still get their kids signed up for free meals by contacting the elementary office at 641-562-2525.