The Detroit school district will keep some school buildings partially open for students to quickly pick up breakfast and lunch while schools are closed from March 16 to April 5. The free meals are crucial for many Detroit students who rely on school lunches as their daily nutrition source. Close to 86% of Detroit Public Schools Community District students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
“Grab-and-go” breakfasts and lunches will be available starting March 18. Breakfast will be offered between 8 and 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The students will not be allowed to go inside the buildings, and the district also plans to deliver meals at home to students who are medically fragile.
Mayor Mike Duggan’s office also is working to make sure food insecure families have options. He said during a press conference this afternoon that the city is partnering with community organizations, including Gleaners Community Food Bank, Forgotten Harvest and the Detroit Children’s Fund to provide families food during the closures.
The city’s recreation centers will also be closed until April 5, and recreation center employees will assist with the food distribution from the city, Duggan said.
“We are not going to leave our children and our poorest families vulnerable for a lack of food,” he said.
Classes are expected to resume April 6.
There are now 16 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Michigan, including one in Detroit, Duggan said.
Here’s where students can pick up meals:
- ACADEMY of AMERICAS @ LOGAN (K-3)
- ANN ARBOR TRAIL
- BATES ACADEMY
- BENNETT
- BETHUNE
- BLACKWELL
- BOW
- BROWN, RONALD
- BURTON INTERNATIONAL
- CARLETON
- CARSTENS
- CARVER
- CENTRAL/DURFEE
- CLARK
- CLEMENTE
- CLIPPERT
- CODY HS
- COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA ARTS
- COOKE
- DAVISON
- DENBY
- DETROIT COLLEGIATE PREP HS
- DETROIT INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY
- DIXON
- DOSSIN
- DOUGLASS ACADEMY
- EAST ENGLISH VILLAGE PREP HS
- ELLINGTON @ BECKHAM
- EMERSON
- FISHER UPPER
- GARDNER
- GARVEY
- GOLIGHTLY ED. CENTER
- GOMPERS
- GREENFIELD UNION
- HAMILTON
- HENDERSON
- HENRY FORD
- HOLMES AL
- KING HIGH SCHOOL
- KING, J.R.
- LAW
- MACKENZIE
- MANN
- MARK TWAIN
- MUMFORD
- NOBLE
- NOLAN
- OSBORN
- PALMER PARK ACADEMY
- PERSHING
- PRIEST
- RENAISSANCE
- SAMPSON
- SOUTHEASTERN
- WAYNE
- WESTERN
- WRIGHT, CHARLES
This story will be updated.