SCHOOLS HELP TO PROVIDE FREE MEALS
District responds to need during coronavirus crisis
There was no hoarding or long lines. And no, there wasn’t any toilet paper, sanitary supplies or soap.
However, there was a ton of food and it was free thanks to the Vallejo City Unified School District, which, along with shelf stable provisions donated by the Food Bank, is providing for families in need during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Meals and provisions will be provided on a first-come, firstserve basis for breakfast and lunch in a “grab-and-go” routine from 8 to 9 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m. to noon for lunch.
The meals were served at five sites on Wednesday: Loma Vista Elementary, Federal Terrace Elementary, Hogan Middle, Jesse Bethel High and Lincoln Elementary. The service, offered to any child under the age of 18 whether they are a student there or not, will run through March 27.
Last week it was announced that all VCUSD schools will be closed to students beginning March 16 through the end of VCUSD’s regularly scheduled spring break (Friday, April 10).
On Wednesday, Happy Faces Daycare worker Jeanette Holmberg picked up a half-dozen lunches at Hogan Middle School.
“This helps a lot,” Holmberg said. “I saw this on Vallejo’s Happenings page. It’s been really hard not going to school with the virus. But it’s nice to have this food. We’ve been staying inside and playing a lot of games inside the house.”
Bernadette Salazar also picked up lunches at the same site for about eight people at her home.
“I found out about this through an email so I came today for lunch and I’ll be coming again. Every little bit helps,”
Salazar said. “We’ve been trying to go outside in the backyard when we can and when it’s not raining we’ve been playing basketball.”
Silvia Garcia and Michelle Boot were two student nutritionists, Garcia from Dan Mini Elementary and Boot from Pennycook, on hand at Lincoln Elementary to hand out free breakfast and lunches. According to them, only three people showed up for the breakfast while early on it was slow for people picking up lunch.
“People are coming in, but they are a little confused at first, as they ask if they have to pay,” Garcia said. “We tell them it’s free and you’re allowed to take it home. We partnered with Food Bank so we have a lot of fruits and vegetables as well.”
“We’re trying to get the
word out, because the program won’t last long, only until March 27,” Boot said.
More people seemed to show up at Hogan Middle School, where breakfast had a steady stream of people picking up on Wednesday morning. By 11:30, about 40 lunches had been
given out.
“Through all of this I’m just so proud of my staff,” said Carri Braverman, director of student nutrition services. “They are the real heroes here. At one point I had to walk in the other room as I was crying over how good of a job they were
doing.”
Braverman’s staff included Rowena Scott, Tramane Gabrial, and Jacquette Little. Braverman said that her and the staff are thinking about putting up posters in the area just to get the word out more that the free meals are being given out.
During the days the meals are made at Jesse Bethel High, Dalila Young and Marie Togonon were giving out food. Both of them are student nutritionists at the school.
“It’s a little weird being the first day for us,” Young said. “We’re not used to sitting around. Usually it’s so busy for us the eight hours go by so fast, but now we are kind of just looking at each other, wanting to help. We’re finding people that come in are very, very nice and really like the idea.”