Lakeview Middle School. Photo provided.

WARSAW — Warsaw Community Schools’ Food and Nutrition Services Department recently announced changes it has made to its meal distribution program.

To keep staff and families safe, every Monday, Warsaw Schools will now provide five days of meals (one snack and one lunch) for each child (no adults) up through age 18 in a household. Beginning Monday, April 6, meals will no longer be delivered to any elementary school or neighborhood location. Registration is required for meals to be reserved. After families have registered, the Food and Nutrition Services Department will automatically reserve the same number of meals for the family each week.

Meals will be available for pick-up between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. on Mondays at Lakeview Middle School, by the commons entrance. Those picking up meals will have to present a picture ID of either a household adult or a WCS student and are asked to stay in their vehicles. No walk-ups are allowed.

Current door-to-door delivery for WCS families who are without transportation will be delivered on Mondays only, with each child being provided five days of meals. If a family is already receiving meals door-to-door, they do not need to re-register. Please note that according to the USDA guidelines, door-to-door delivery of meals is reserved for needy families for Warsaw students that qualify and are without transportation or someone to pick up the meals for them.

Meals picked up at Lakeview Middle School will be free to any child in the community up through age 18. They do not have to be a WCS student. Due to the heavy demand for meals, each family must pre-register the first time to reserve meals for each Monday going forward.

Each bag will include five snacks with a juice and five lunches with an entrée, fruit, vegetable and milk. WCS is also partnering with local restaurants who will prepare certain food items for the meal bags. Each week, there will be information included about the local participating restaurants.

“As the need in our community continues to increase, we find it necessary to modify the distribution of free meals to families,” said Marci Franks, WCS Director of Food and Nutrition Services. “What started on the first day of meal service with less than 400 meals has grown to more than 2,000 meals daily with each child provided breakfast and lunch. WCS Food and Nutrition, in partnership with WCS Transportation, will continue to provide meals for our community children.”

Any questions regarding this program can be sent to Franks at [email protected].