Free meals still available to students in Hamilton County during spring break despite coronavirus outbreak

April 3, 2020 at 2:48 p.m. | Updated April 3, 2020 at 2:48 p.m.

by Meghan Mangrum

Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Instructional coach Kimberly Staton packs milk into a cooler at East Brainerd Elementary School on Friday, March 20, 2020 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Hamilton County Schools have provided different options, including helping to prepare and deliver student meals, to ensure their classified and hourly staff continue to get paid while schools are closed amid the coronavirus crisis.
Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Instructional coach Kimberly Staton packs milk into a cooler at East Brainerd Elementary School on Friday, March 20, 2020 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Hamilton County Schools have provided different options, including helping to prepare and deliver student meals, to ensure their classified and hourly staff continue to get paid while schools are closed amid the coronavirus crisis.

Hamilton County Schools will continue to offer free student meals through the district's spring break, which began Friday and ends April 10.

Meals will be available at 11 school locations from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Monday April 6, Wednesday April 8 and Monday, April 13.

(READ MORE: Feeding the children: As schools close to slow coronavirus spread, concern grows for students who rely on school meals)

"The food is available as curbside service at the school locations and includes breakfast and lunch for two days," according to a press release from the district. " The district did not have enough resources to continue bus meal deliveries during the break."

Typically, the district does not provide student meals to even students who receive free or reduced price lunch during breaks from school, but Superintendent Bryan Jhnson said the district recognizes the need during this unprecedented time.

"We've got a lot of families and even employees who are struggling," Johnson told the TImes Free Press. "We feel the moral responsibility to try to help folks during this really tough period."

Most of the meals are made possible with the help of community partners, like the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga.

(READ MORE: The Mustang Express: Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy takes student meals on the road amid coronavirus concerns)

Students must be present to receive a meal and each student will be given two day's worth of breakfast and lunches. All children under the age of 18 are eligible for meals. No proof of enrollment is required.

The Hamilton County school locations for food pick up during Spring Break include:

Harrison Bay

- Wallace A Smith Elementary

- Wolftever Creek Elementary

Missionary Ridge

- East Brainerd Elementary

- East Side Elementary

- Spring Creek Elementary

North River

- Hixson Elementary

- Soddy Elementary

Opportunity Zone

- East Lake Elementary

- Orchard Knob Elementary

Rock Point

- Brown Academy

- Red Bank Elementary

For more information, visit www.hcde.org. Hamilton County Schools will release updated information regarding meal deliveries for the rest of April after spring break.

Click here for a complete list of student meal locations and delivery schedules in the Chattanooga region.

Contact Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.

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