GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Public Schools is offering free meals to students within the school district, and those not in it, throughout the remainder of the state's mandated school closure and stay-at-home order. However, its hours will be modified.
GRPS will no longer be offering breakfast and lunch combo meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays at its eight grab-and-go meal sites. Meals will be available Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., according to the school district.
Here are the pickup locations:
- Campau Commons, 821 Division Ave S
- Creston Plaza Apartments,1080 Creston Plaza NE
- Hope Academy, 240 Brown St. SE
- New Faith Temple, 1701 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
- Ottawa Hills High School, 2055 Rosewood Ave. SE
- San Juan Diego Academy, 1650 Godfrey Ave. SW, Wyoming
- Sibley Elementary, 943 Sibley St. NW
- Walnut Grove Apartments, 875 Sheffield St. SW
The food will be placed on tables for parents to pick up for their children. There is a drive-thru option available for those who are not able to get out of their cars and pick up the food,
The volunteers who are distributing the food will follow the social-distancing recommendation of standing 6 feet apart.
Up to two-meals-a-day may be served to students under the age of 18 for free, as well as students with disabilities from the age of 18 to 26.
When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered schools in Michigan to close on March 12 to stop the spread of the coronavirus, she acknowledged that this will have an impact on students who get free lunch from their school. In the 2018-19 school year, over 70% of GRPS students qualified for free or reduced lunch.
Kid's Food Basket is also providing meals while schools are closed to students in Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon and Allegan counties.
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