Some Fresno schools to stop food service during spring break. But other options remain
While Fresno County’s two largest school districts plan to shut down food service during spring break in April, other food options will be available and some other local school districts will continue grab-and-go lunches.
Fresno-area schools have handed out thousands of meals since shutting their classrooms down last week to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Fresno Unified and Clovis districts both plan to halt food service during scheduled spring breaks from Apirl 6 to April 13.
The Central California Food Bank will be serving throughout that time. The group updates its online food locator map daily.
Other places families can get meals include religious organizations such as Catholic Charities which also provides diapers, and other essential supplies for those in need. Families can Visit 149 N. Fulton St. from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call 559-237-0851.
For a full list of food and other essential needs services you can check out this list compiled by Danielle Bergstrom. For a complete updated list on what schools are offering free meals outside of spring breaks check here.
Other Valley schools will serve food
A decision March 20 from the USDA helps clear the way for most California schools to serve meals during the break after the federal authorities loosened meal-service restrictions.
Central Unified, Selma Unified School Districts, and Merced City school districts all confirmed plans to maintain service.
In a district wide update, officials at Selma explained, “Our Grab and Go meals will continue to be provided during spring break and until further notice.”
From April 6 to April 13, students may pick up meals between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Eric White Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Selma High School.
Central Unified will serve meals during its planned spring break, from April 6 to April 17. Sonja Dosti, the district’s communications manager, said officials this week were “working on the details.”
About 70% of Central Unified families are food insecure.
The Merced City School District’s spring break runs from April 10 to 19, but meal service will continue, spokesperson Joey Horta said. Merced schools have served an average of 13,000 meals daily since schools shut down March 19.
The Merced district on March 30 will cut the number of schools serving food from 17 to 10.
“This will allow more of our staff members to stay home and practice social distancing,” Horta said. “We are currently scheduled to reopen schools on April 20 – which could change as the health crisis evolves.”
Nelson weighing spring break choices
Bob Nelson, the Fresno Unified superintendent, appeared to leave the door open to continuing food service during that period, but also stressed the district’s food workers have continued serving at school sites while most other employees have been working from home.
“Our food service workers have not had time to serve their own families since shelter in place enacted, and need time to get own situations resolved,” he said in a recent tweet.
Communications manager Nikki Henry said Fresno Unified is “discussing options for that (spring break) week but have not made a different decision.”
Clovis Unified officials this week also confirmed plans to stop service during the second week of April.
Nelson, on Twitter this week, responded to push back from community members who said the meals were a major food source for thousands of low-income children during the coronavirus pandemic, a problem he acknowledged, saying the decision was not “taken lightly.”
Nelson has also urged other community organizations to pitch in.
Henry this week praised the efforts other groups that have made food available to local families.
“We’re thankful for community partners like the Central California Food Bank, Every Neighborhood Partnership, Bitwise, Neighborhood Industries, and our local churches and others who are working with us side by side to prepare to serve our community during Spring Break,” Henry said.
Fresno Unified is the third-largest school district California, with about 74,000 students, roughly 85% of whom qualify for the free school lunch program available to lower-income families.
Fresno Unified also has taken the unusual step of not limiting meal service to students during the pandemic shutdown, but handing out food to anyone who asks.
The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab at fresnobee.com/education-lab.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Some Fresno schools to stop food service during spring break. But other options remain."