North Texas school districts offering free meals for students amid school closures

School districts offer free meals for students during closures

Many school districts will hand out meals to students even while schools are closed.

DALLAS - Many North Texas school districts are offering free meals for their students while schools remain closed due to coronavirus concerns.

Dallas is offering free “grab-and-go" morning snacks and lunch at 20 sites through Thursday during Spring Break. Those dates may be updated later this week.

In Fort Worth, to-go lunch meals will be available Monday through Friday for the next two weeks at eight school locations.

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FOX 4’s Brandon Todd talked to a spokesman from Allen ISD, which is offering curbside breakfast and lunches for all students at Boyd Elementary School and Roundtree Elementary School from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and then 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“We looked at the situation and obviously schools are closed but our concern was more for the kids that may not have an opportunity to get a good meal. So we’re providing lunches and breakfast,” said Tim Carroll, a spokesman for the school district. “Any way we can help serve the students without endangering any kind of safety or anything like that, we feel it’s very important. And most of the school districts in the area are doing the same thing.”

Families need to remain in their cars to pick up the meals at the front of the designated campus sites, Carroll said.

The meal service will be provided for all Allen ISD students during the week of March 16-20 and will continue if school closures are extended.

Arlington ISD workers also stood ready with meals for every family that rolled through 23 selected locations.

Arlington ISD offers free meals to students, families

Arlington ISD workers also stood ready with meals for every family that rolled through 23 selected locations.

Janie Ross and her son, Alex, took advantage of a short walk to Short Elementary School for their pick up.

"He goes to the junior high across town, so this is nice that we can walk down the street to the elementary,” Ross said.

The district had no idea how many families would take them up on the meals during the extended break.

Arlington ISD Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos says there is clearly a community-wide need. He expects more participation as word travels.

"It’s direct communication with families, phone calls, social media, the press to make sure families they are aware,” Cavazos said. “And this is actually for students and children zero to 18. They don't have to be students of the school district necessarily.”

Numerous other districts are providing similar meals for their students. Families should check with their local district for specific meal distribution locations and times.