Almost 2,000 meals have been served to students in the Hempfield Area School District over the past month since schools shuttered in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Just a week after Gov. Tom Wolf ordered schools to temporarily close to help curb the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19, students under the age of 18 were offered breakfast and lunch provided by the district’s food service workers. The program is offered at Hempfield Area High School, Wendover Middle School and West Hempfield Elementary School.
The program started March 23. During the first week, 443 meals were served, followed by 682 meals the week of March 29 through April 4. The following week, 866 meals were served, according to district Business Manager Wayne Wismar.
“I think what it continues to show is that there is a need the district is helping to support or take care of and I think we anticipate we’re going to continue to provide breakfasts and lunches near these levels,” he said during Monday’s board meeting.
The program has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through June 30, although it can be extended to Aug. 30 if the state’s restrictions still are in place.
Districts across Western Pennsylvania have provided their own food programs to students including Pittsburgh Public Schools, Greater Latrobe, Plum, Southmoreland school districts, among others.
Food can be picked up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Volunteers are also able to deliver meals to families with limited means of transportation. For more information about Hempfield’s program, call 724-850-2248.
