Forty percent of all students in Washington state rely on free and reduced meals from school.
So when Gov. Jay Inslee announced March 13 his plan to close all public and private schools for the next six weeks, it left parents wondering:
How will they feed their kids in the coming weeks?
In Port Townsend, the school district immediately announced a plan to provide breakfast and lunch for students in four locations around the district.
They will offer free breakfast and lunch to youth 18 and under from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at four locations: Salish Coast Elementary, Port Townsend High School, the Jefferson County International Airport and the Cape George Firehall.
But support for families goes beyond the schools in Port Townsend.
“One thing we’re not low on right now is food,” said Shirley Moss, director of the Port Townsend Food Bank.
Moss encouraged families who might have never used the food bank before to come on Wednesday if they need extra support amidst the coronavirus outbreak.
Port Townsend, Brinnon, Quilcene and Tri-Area food banks will all conduct distributions via pre-packed boxes and bags instead of having clients come inside and go through a line.
“In line, we cannot maintain the 6-foot distance required,” Moss said. “We’ve installed a lot of safety measures, and next week we will give customers boxes of food outside the building.”
The Tri-Area and Quilcene food banks will do the same, Moss said.
A few weeks ago, Moss needed volunteers since many regular volunteers are seniors and decided to stay home for their own safety. But since putting the word out, she said she has been inundated with calls from people willing to volunteer.
“For people who’ve never used the food bank before, for the waitresses who aren’t getting as much in tips as normal, for the parents who have to stay home from work with their kids,” she said. “I will do everything in my power to keep serving people food.”
Olympic Community Action Programs has closed its offices, and the community centers in Tri-Area, Quilcene and Brinnon, but the organization will still offer supportive services and nutrition assistance, according to a press release from director Cherish Cronmiller.
“We will be continuing to offer nutrition services and partner with the food banks to make food available, yet keep volunteers and customers safe,” Cronmiller wrote. “In Port Angeles and at Tri-Area Community Center we will still have our warm congregate meals, but they will be offered ‘to-go.’ ... We will be continuing our Senior Nutrition Home Delivered Meals.”
The agency has also created two online forms, one for people who are able to offer volunteer services and another for those in need of help. To fill out one of the forms, go to olycap.org.
OlyCAP staff will also offer help via telephone. Staff will be available to answer the phones 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For services in Jefferson County, call 360-385-2571.
