Locations Identified for CHCCS Food Distribution on Day of Advocacy

Local school officials are organizing locations to get food to students who are likely to be impacted by the closure of schools on Wednesday.

School boards across the state, including all local districts, have been taking action recently to close schools May 16 as the number of teachers requesting personal leave for the day have outnumbered the available substitute pool, meaning the districts have had concerns about safely operating the schools. The large number of requests for leave come in coordination with a large rally planned by the North Carolina Association of Educators to call for an increase in education funding as the General Assembly returns for the short legislative session on Wednesday.

One concern expressed by local districts when deciding to close schools – the day has been converted to an optional teacher workday – was how this closure would impact students, particularly those on free-and-reduced lunch, who rely on meals at school during the week.

Some local non-profits that already work with the Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools district have stepped forward to help fill that void. CHCCS district officials also sent a message to parents last week to alert them to food options for students on Wednesday.

The district’s Child Nutrition team, according to the letter sent to parents, has arranged three school cafeterias to open on Wednesday.

“Any student from birth through high school is welcome” for breakfast from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at three elementary schools in the district – Carrboro, Northside and McDougle.

Five additional locations will service lunch throughout the community: