When the state required all schools to close due to the pandemic, it left many local families who were dependent on school meals in a crisis. According to the Brockport Transportation Director Matt Schultz, “With no advance notice many school aged children lost their breakfasts and lunches.” The district quickly organized an outreach to provide Brockport Central School District students two meals, five days a week.
The Food Services Department under the direction of Steven Small, Transportation Department under the direction of Matt Schultz, and many employees volunteering were able to prepare meals, set up stations, deliver meals with district volunteers to provide the meals to each child who was in need. The district set up six locations throughout Brockport, Clarkson, and Hamlin where social distancing and safety measures were in place. “We give out over 1,200 meals a day to more than 600 community children,” said Schultz. The district provides these meals at no charge and plans to continue throughout the remainder of the school year. Each site has several volunteers every weekday handing out the meals to students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. They receive a breakfast, a lunch, two milks, and any special dietary requests or allergies are accommodated.
“It’s been great seeing the community pull together to make this happen. Both the meals and the friendly faces of the volunteers from the district have been greatly appreciated by the families. The response has been awesome. We have been getting emails from parents expressing their gratitude. It not only provides nutrition to these children, but it’s been good to get them out, walking and interacting with the volunteers. Something they are looking forward to,” said Schultz.
The volunteers are district employees. Lorie Dennis and Diane Rood are both district bus drivers and, from the start of the program, they have worked every single day at the Seldon Square location on West Avenue. Both ladies have gone the extra mile in showering the children with love and often extra goodies by providing books, clothing, stuffed animals, face masks and treats to the children. Many of the books and animals were donated but Lorie and Diane have even purchased books with their own money, that they knew the kids would enjoy. “There was a boy here who loved dragons, so Lorie ordered him some dragon books and surprised him with them,” said Diane.
Lorie and her sister, Cherie, also made 1,000 face masks. Many of them were given for free to the children and their families. “It helps keep us busy,” said Lorie.
Diane has been driving buses for Brockport for almost four years as her retirement job. “Driving a school bus has been the most rewarding job ever,” said Diane. “We know these children by name and love being here to make them smile.”
Tanya Grugnale and Lisa Kennedy are both teacher aides in the district and volunteer at the West Avenue site with Diane and Lorie.
The Seldon Square/West Avenue location feeds 100 children a day, providing 1,000 meals every week. In this unprecedented time of social distancing, schools being closed, public libraries being closed, and lack of social and recreational interaction, this program is providing far more than meals to the community. Kids and their parents can get out of the house, get some fresh air, pick from a selection of food choices for breakfast and lunch, get a new book to read or a stuffed animal to snuggle and, most importantly, feel the love from their school district and its angels.
Food site locations and times are found at https://bcs1.org/news/what_s_new/bcsd_covid-19/student_meals_program.
