Beginning next week, Ketchikan’s school district will begin providing take-home meals for everyone 18 years old and younger.
School officials say they’ll provide two meals per child per day starting Monday. Parents and children can pick up either breakfast and lunch in the morning or lunch and a snack in the early afternoon.
District business manager Katie Parrott says many families rely on meals for children during the school week.
“Especially during times like these, where families might have limited options during the day,” she said. “Some families are doing self-quarantine, some families still have to keep working, and we know that it’s vital for kids to eat, for them to get nutrition, regular nutrition, every day. And so this is very similar to our setup for the summer lunch program.”
Parrott says children have to be physically present when picking up meals — parents can’t grab meals by themselves. That’s due to federal requirements.
The district is also offering meals to children who can’t pick them up. She asks parents with medically fragile or homebound children — or those in self-isolation — to contact the district for more information.
The main hub for the grab-and-go meals will be Schoenbar Middle School. There, breakfast and lunch will be available from 7:30 to 9 a.m. A lunch and snack will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meals will also be available at three Ketchikan-area elementary schools: Fawn Mountain, Point Higgins and Houghtaling. A full list of hours is below.
Parents can call and leave a message at 247-2116 or email katie.parrott@k21schools.org for more information on feeding homebound or medically fragile students.
For children with food allergies or dietary restrictions, call 228-7215 or email madonna.brock@k21schools.org. More information can be found in a letter from the superintendent’s office published Friday afternoon.
