Coronavirus has shut down schools. There’s a way kids can still get breakfast and lunch
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Monday is the first day of shutdowns at all Miami-Dade and Broward County Schools because of concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19 in the community. But that doesn’t mean your child will be left without their breakfast and lunch.
The school districts are still giving out meals this week to help families in need.
Here’s what you need to know:
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Breakfast and Lunch
▪ All Miami-Dade County Public Schools will be providing free hot grab-and-go meals for both breakfast and lunch to all students between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The district says meals will also be given to the families of students, as needed.
▪ Students can visit their enrolled school or their neighborhood school to collect the meals.
Schools will provide hot grab-and-go meals, prepared by @MDCPS food service personnel, from 9 am-12:30 pm. Students can report to their school or neighborhood school to collect meals. Distribution will take place in an area along the external perimeter of the building. pic.twitter.com/Ssyx68wek3
— Miami-Dade Schools (@MDCPS) March 16, 2020
Broward County Public Schools Breakfast and Lunch
▪ Broward County will be providing breakfast and free or reduced lunch to students and their families on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Breakfast will be offered from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and lunch will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
▪ Students must show their student I.D. card. If a student does not have their I.D. because they were told to leave it at school, the district says to notify one of the workers. “Flexibility will be provided for these students to assure they receive meals,” the district said.
Meals will be distributed at the following nine schools:
▪ Boyd Anderson High School, 3050 NW 41st St., Lauderdale Lakes
▪ Blanche Ely High School, 1201 NW Sixth Ave., Pompano Beach
▪ Dillard High School, 2501 NW 11th St., Fort Lauderdale
▪ Flanagan High School, 12800 Taft St., Pembroke Pines
▪ Hallandale High School, 720 NW Ninth Ave., Hallandale Beach
▪ Miramar High School, 3601 SW 89th Ave., Miramar
▪ Nova High School, 3600 College Ave., Davie
▪ Sunrise Middle School, 1750 NE 14th St., Fort Lauderdale
▪ Taravella High School, 10600 Riverside Dr., Coral Springs
@browardschools is ready to feed free/reduced lunch students and their families breakfast (8-10a) and lunch (11a-1p) next week during regular school day closures (M, W, Th) at designated middle/high schools. For more info, times and locations, visit https://t.co/N7qOclUEJ8. pic.twitter.com/1TUsYWMkVj
— Broward Schools (@browardschools) March 15, 2020
Can kids get breakfast and lunch after this week?
The school districts are still evaluating the situation, but parents can take advantage of Florida’s Summer BreakSpot program. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says she activated the Summer BreakSpot website Sunday because 71.9 percent of students in Florida public schools receive free or reduced lunches.
The program has 934 sites across the state that serve meals to school age children. The program is expected to start in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties on March 23. It starts March 20 in Broward.
Miami Herald staff writer David J. Neal contributed to this report.
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