On a regular day, the National school lunch program provides free or low-cost meals to 29.7 million students while the breakfast reaches 14.6 million students daily.  During the pandemic, schools are doing a grab and go while others do a twice-weekly delivery route. Despite the pandemic and what’s going on front line workers continue to provide food for children who need it and provide for other districts as well. According to the school nutrition association, more than two- thirds of 31 million U.S. students who eat school lunches are depending on free or reduced school lunches as a daily source of nutrition. In some states the grab and go lunches are available to those who are 18 and younger with no id required. After the closure, CPS announced that they would provide lunches for each student and they can be picked up at CPS schools between 9 am and 1 pm. Despite the school closures the US is trying to do everything they can to make sure the students who rely on school lunches are getting their daily nutrition during the pandemic.

The food that is being distributed among students is different everywhere. 

“Menu substitutions and entrée choices may vary by day and school location.  This is happening because the food industry now has many supply chain challenges and we are often shortened because manufacturers are not able to keep up with current production demands” said superintendent Dr. Truesdale.

Despite shortages and demand for food, Morton still manages to push through for their students daily with meals for those in need of them. 

“In order to accommodate the large window of time, 7:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that meals are distributed for pick up at the schools, our production process has been streamlined to meet current demand without creating a surplus,” said superintendent Dr. Truesdale. 

Every day Morton district 201 is able to provide meals for basically all of the 3,580 students of Morton East high school. 

“Combined Freshman Center and East are providing an average each of over 3,000 breakfasts and lunches daily,” said superintendent Dr. Truesdale.