ELYRIA, Ohio — The Elyria City School District is making sure its students will not go hungry during this uncertain time amid the pandemic.
- Aramark is distributing fresh meals to students
- On Tuesdays and Thursdays, families can pick up multiple meals at a time
- A school bus is delivering meals to those who can’t pick up
There was long line of cars at prospect elementary in Elyria, with people patiently waiting while free groceries were loaded into their cars.
“I’m a former lunch lady, so I see the direct need for something like this from specifically dealing with free and reduced lunch students, so this is great that they are continuing this service for all the children in the community” said Tiffany McMahon, of North Ridgeville.
“I think it’s very good for all the kids. This could be all they have,” said Virginia Thomas, of Elyria.
Aramark, the food service provider for Elyria schools, is distributing fresh meals to students during this health crisis.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, families can pick up multiple meals at a time.
“Free lunch and free breakfast for students during the severe need crisis for our school district, so the Ohio Department of Education has given us the ability to give away free meals to anybody under 18. So, all they have to do is pull around or their parents pull around they’ll get 4 days worth of meals for breakfast and lunch today,” said Kyle Suerth, food service director at Elyria City Schools.
For those who can’t drive to the schools to pick up meals, a yellow school bus is delivering food right to people’s homes.
“We are giving the kids in the community here of Elyria, the under income kids, food for weeks, so they will not go hungry,” said Audrey Steven, of Oberlin.
And once the food is delivered, parents say they are happy there are a variety of nutritious items available for their children.
“Milk and chocolate milk, and they brought some buns, bread and you got like two things of bread and then you got some lunch meat and cheese, string cheese and some vegetables, little packages of vegetables, which were carrots and apples today,” said Laura Manning of Elyria.
More information and the locations for pick-up and times for distribution are on the Elyria City School District’s website .
