FEDERAL HEIGHTS, Colo. — The Coronavirus outbreak has caused dozens of school districts around the state to close – leaving some parents to wonder how will their child eat?
Several school districts in Colorado are offering free breakfast or lunch pick-up at school within the district, while class is canceled due to COVID-19, but Pinnacle Charter School is taking a different approach – bringing the food out to the kids.
“We’re making sure that our kids don’t feel a lot of the pain from what’s about to happen here,” Chad Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Charter School said.
The Coronavirus pandemic is closing schools, but for Pinnacle Charter, 80 percent of their 2,000 students depend on free or reduced lunch. So without school in session, how will these children get the meals they need?
“We’re going to use our transportation system to actually get these meals out to the kids,” Miller said.
Starting Monday morning, March 16 through March 20, Pinnacle will deploy their school buses as part of their PACK Meal Delivery. There will be 12 delivery locations near regular centrally located Pinnacle school bus stops. Miller said bus drivers will hand out breakfast and lunch bags to students from 8a.m. to about 9 a.m.
“Our bus drivers know these kids. They see them every day and know their names,” Miller said.
Pinnacle has their cafeteria lunch service team preparing the meals that are made up of items that won’t spoil. School leaders say employees will take safety measures to cut down on the potential spread of COVID-19.
“They’ll have hand sanitizer. They’ll use rubber gloves. It’s going to be really a stop, grab your bags and move along.”
Pinnacle will also offer a drive-up option at their school located at 1001 W 84th Ave, Federal Heights. Their overall goal is to ensure that no child goes hungry during these trying times.
“Just because our kids aren’t in our building doesn’t mean they’re not our responsibility. We still have to take care of them,” Miller said.
