Carson City, Douglas, Lyon schools to continue food programs during closure

The Nevada Department of Agriculture is executing the first step of a two-tier strategy to prevent the disruption of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs for children while schools are closed under Gov. Steve Sisolak’s directive as of Sunday.

School closures were implemented to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus, with food programs serving children to be continued in a grab-and-go manner to dodge the possibility of contamination, according to the NDA.

The move also is meant to assist school central kitchens that potentially will be short-staffed from the impacts of the closure.

“We understand the importance of preventative closures to protect students, faculty and members of the community, and we are doing everything we can to help minimize the impact to students and families that rely on school meals and ensure they have access to nutritious meals,” NDA director Jennifer Ott said in a release. “We are strongly urging all meal site sponsors to practice social distancing by using drive-thru service where possible and by requiring six feet of space between all individuals, should lines start to form.”

The second-tier strategy incorporates USDA foods through the Emergency Food Assistance program (TEFAP). TEFAP resources can supply household food, not prepared meals

NDA has received waivers from USDA that provide more flexibility for emergency food response for those communities with reduced risk through temporarily eliminating signature requirements and reducing contact.

Carson City food distribution times and sites have been confirmed for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Empire, Mark Twain and Seeliger elementary schools and Carson High School.

Douglas County meals begin Tuesday at C.C. Meneley Elementary and Aspire Academy High schools.

In Lyon County, meals began to be delivered through the bus route from 9 to 10 a.m. as of Monday.

Sisolak said his in press conference Sunday announcing the school closures that the situation would create “unique challenges” for families. He emphasized each school district would have the flexibility to tailor its own plans for its populations accordingly, ensuring students can “continue to learn while outside their school walls.”