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WHEELING -- Ohio County Schools will provide home delivery of free meal packs to students this summer beginning next week.
Packages will contain five days worth of shelf-stable breakfast and lunch items, and will be delivered by UPS drivers, according to Renee Griffin, child nutrition director for Ohio County Schools.
The meal packs will not replace the usual sit-down community breakfast and lunch options available during the summer as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program. Griffin said while the sit-down feeding sites did not open during the summer of 2020, they will this year.
Home delivery of five-day meal packs will begin the week of June 7, and continue through the week of July 26. All children ages 2-18 qualify for the program, and parents/guardians must sign up one time only for each child participating.
The sign-up form can be completed at boe.ohio.k12.wv.us after clicking the "menu" option. Those with questions should contact their child's school, or the nutrition office at 304-243-0477.
Griffin explained delivery through UPS turned out to be the most cost-effective way to deliver the meals to home. Ohio County Schools is a member of the Mountaineer Co-Op, and partners with other nutrition efforts.
"Through this partnership, we get discounts with UPS," she said.
"They will come pick up the boxes where we prepare them at the high school and deliver them to home addresses."
The USDA will reimburse Ohio County Schools for any costs associated with the meal program. Griffin said she doesn't have an exact cost yet, but the school will try to stay as close to expected reimbursement funds as possible.
She expects the school district might have to provide for as many as 800 meals a day between the feeding sites and the meal packs.
"This is something that is still a little unique," Griffin said. "I don't know if it will continue past this summer. It will depend on the USDA and their guidelines.
"We just wanted to be able to reach out to families who may not have the means to go to the feeding sites or take part in those programs."
All items enclosed in the meals are shelf-stable, and still meet USDA requirements, Griffin said. Fruits and vegetables, grains and proteins must be provided.
Fruit cups, dried fruit, a form of humus and dried chick peas are among the items that could be in the package, as well as whole grain crackers or bagels, she said.
Protein offerings might include a shelf-stable cheese dip, or an ultra-pasteurized milk that doesn't have to be refrigerated.
Potatoes intended for baking also could be included, along with instructions on how to prepare them.
"We did that before during COVID -- we had baked potatoes in there and they seemed to like those," Griffin said.
Meanwhile, sites and locations for the summer feeding program haven't been finalized, but will be known next week, she said. There will be 13 sites, and she expects these will largely remain the same as in past years.
One notable change will be at the Warwood School, where the feeding program previously took place on the elementary side of the building.
It will take place on the middle school side this year, Griffin said.