In the United States alone, 12 million children live in homes that do not have an adequate supply of food.  Many children in the Chandler Unified School District face this type of challenge every single day, and some of them wonder where their next meal will come from. 

   CUSD and USDA partnered to implement the Curbside Meal Service. The program currently supplies 55 thousand meals a week to students at various high schools, Junior High Schools, and Elementary Schools throughout the district. For example, PHS serves 1,000 meals per day. They are funded by USDA’s school nutrition program and they meet all the nutritional needs of growing kids.

   Every day that school is in session, students in the district rely on the school for meals, but when they are out of school, the pressure falls to caregivers to put food on the table. Even though they struggle to make ends meet. 

  “So many families have been affected by the virus…We have heard from many families that the outing is the highlight of their kiddos week,’’ Director of CUSD Food and Nutrition,  Jenny Bracamonte said. 

  CUSD and the USDA prioritize helping students maintain well-balanced diets. Nutrition is very important, especially at this time with the threat of COVID-19 and with the closure of schools for the rest of the year. The administration was concerned not only for the education of students but also for their health and safety. 

  “A diet based in nutrient-rich foods promotes physical and mental health while also improving brain function and supporting a stronger immune system,” Bracamonte said. 

  These curbside meals will be served until school begins in July. This program has served many children in the community and will soon be serving meals on weekends to be sure that students will be taken care of every day of the week.