By Judd Lofchie
During the COVID-19, our school districts and government have stepped up!
The Federal government increased the reimbursement rate to help schools keep feeding students. The West Aurora School District has distributed more than 308,000 meals since the outbreak started. They distribute breakfast and lunches Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at seven schools, and will distribute through August 7. Chris, who runs the program said she has more than 35 persons making the sandwiches and packing the bags for distribution.
The East Aurora School district distributes breakfasts and lunches every day at four school sites and three days a week using their buses to deliver food. They have served more than 186,000 meal kits which includes breakfasts and lunches. The Aurora Township is distributing meals Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Aurora Township Youth Center, 313 Gale Street. Annette Johnson, East Aurora School Board president said, “We were happy to set up and provide meals to our students and their families during this time of need.”
A start-up group, the Relief Coalition, saw the need to help the many people laid off, and contacted the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry (MWFP). The Pantry helped them set up an additional distribution day at the Pantry Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.. They have distributed approximately 50,000 pounds of food for more than 6,600 individuals since March 31. Thanks to the MWFP, Cynthia Gamboa-Morales whose neighbors are seniors, started distributing food to more than 50 homes to seniors every other Tuesday. “I saw a need that was not being filled, because many seniors are not able to get to the Food Pantries. So, I wanted to bring the food to them!”.
That is good because the Pantry has seen its demand for food doubling and tripling in the last month!