Shared from the 5/20/2020 Houston Chronicle eEdition

HISD switching to kids-only meal distribution plan

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Elizabeth Conley / Staff photographer

Volunteers LaToya Joseph, from left, Kanika Davis and Walter Tshitya distribute food during the Houston ISD and Houston Food Bank event to provide relief during the coronavirus pandemic.

Houston ISD will stop providing large amounts of food to families at schools and NRG Stadium on Friday, choosing instead to offer kids’ meals at nearly 70 schools beginning in June, district officials said.

By making the switch, announced late Tuesday, HISD will move toward a distribution model used by districts throughout the country. Starting June 1, HISD plans to give out three days’ worth of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for students on Mondays, then four days’ worth of meals on Thursdays.

For the past two months, HISD has offered far more food than the nation’s largest districts — typically about 30 pounds of fruits, meats and canned goods — at several locations per day. By contrast, all other large, urban districts offered smaller kids’ meals, often at dozens of schools.

HISD leaders have heralded the district’s food distribution model throughout the pandemic-induced shutdown of schools, arguing that they prefer to support families instead of only children. District officials said about 5.2 million pounds of food have been provided since mid-March, when HISD started offering meals at 10 schools.

Under the new distribution model, 68 schools will offer meals for children only. Half of the schools will distribute food from 10 a.m. to noon, with the other half providing meals from noon to 2 p.m.

“The school year may be wrapping up, but the need is still there for our families,” HISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lath-an said in a statement. “By modifying our traditional summer meals program, we can continue to feed our students in a safe way.”

HISD partnered with the Houston Food Bank for its supply of meals over the past two months. District officials did not elaborate in a press release on the reasons for ending the arrangement now, and they were not immediately available for comment Tuesday evening.

Houston Food Bank Chief Impact Officer Nicole Lander said district officials chose to make the switch, calling it a “natural progression for HISD” heading into the summer months. The food bank had enough supply to continue partnering with HISD, Lander said.

HISD officials launched their food distribution plan within days of first canceling school due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Lathan suspended meal distribution for seven days in late March and early April after concerns about a site worker coming in contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. When the district resumed distribution, administrators cut the number of pickup sites to five.

HISD later added Saturday pickup events at NRG Stadium, most recently offering 80 to 100 pounds of food. The final distribution event will take place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the stadium.

The Houston Food Bank will continue to operate the Saturday distribution at NRG Stadium, taking sole control on May 30. jacob.carpenter@chron.com

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