Photo: MPHS transportation personnel load buses to deliver meals to area children during the school closure for COVID-19. Photo: Submitted
The Food Service and Transportation departments at Mountain Home Public Schools (MHPS) prepared and delivered more than 5,400 meals this week for children in the area under the age of 18.
During the extended school closure for COVID-19, the district will continue to offer five breakfasts and five lunches to children. The majority of those meals are delivered to the children’s bus stops on Thursdays.
According to Food Service Supervisor Pam Burns, each student’s 10 meals for the week are delivered in three plastic grocery bags per student — one bag of five breakfasts and two bags containing a total of five lunches. Because of the large amount of bags used each week, Burns has requested the donation of more bags from anyone in the community who has extras.
“If you have extra bags, we would love to have them to help serve our kids,” she says. “Anyone who wants to donate bags can drop them off during school hours to the Auxiliary Services building anytime during the school day next week Monday through Wednesday.”
The Auxiliary Services building is located to the right of Pinkston Middle School on College Street.
Burns also notes she appreciates the several individuals who have already donated bags and the 2,000-bag donation the district received from Harps Food Store #156. “These donations have been incredible,” she says. “I just appreciate how people come together to help kids.”
Burns expects the district will prepare approximately 7,000 meals next week, as she has already received dozens of additional calls for children to be added to the upcoming delivery list. Parents have been asked to notify Burns by 9 on Monday morning, if they would like their children added to the meal list so she may order the correct amounts of food. Parents who have already been placed on the list will not need to call again to secure meals for future weeks.
Parents of children ages 18 or younger in the area may call the MHPS transportation department at 870-425-1240 to be added to the delivery list.
Community members interested in helping to support this feeding program may contact Burns at pburns@mhbombers.com. She says she is busy in the kitchen most of the day, but she will check her email and contact the interested community members as soon as she can.
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