Philadelphia Officials Making Sure School Lunches Still Getting To Students Who Need Them Most

Alecia Reid reports.

PATIENTS, AT VIRTUA MEMORIALHOSPITAL IN MT.

HOLLY.GETTING FOOD TO CHILDRENWHOSE FAMILIES NEED HELPDURING THE PANDEMIC CHALLENGESCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE FACEDEVER SINCE STUDENTS BEGANLEARNING AT HOME.BUT OFF INITIALS PHILADELPHIA,ARE MAKING SURE, SCHOOLLUNCHES ARE STILL GETTING TOTHE STUDENTS, WHO NEED THEMMOST."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERALICIA READ AT SCHOOL DISTRICTHEADQUARTERS WITH THE STORY,ALICIA?UKEE, OVER THE LAST THREEWEEKS, THE USDA HAS BEENWORKING 24/7, TO ENSURE,STUDENTS ACROSS THE US AREBEING FED DURING THIS NATIONALCRISIS.TODAY WE GOT A LOOK AT THEPROCESS, BEFORE THAT FOOD ISDISTRIBUTED.SEAMLESS SYSTEM.WE VALUE OUR TEAMS IN EVERYLOCATION.WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS.EACH STATION SANITIZING ANDMANNED BY ONE INDIVIDUAL.WHO ENSURES PROPER ETIQUETTEAND SAFE SOCIAL DISTANCING.THE STATION HAS GLOVES, HASMASKS, HAS DISINFECT AND THEWORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES, WEWIPE DOWN STATIONS, SETEVERYTHING UP.SINCE PHILADELPHIA'S MEALDISTRIBUTION PROGRAM START INTHE MID-MARCH, THE SCHOOLDISTRICT HAD PROVIDED MORETHAN HALF MILLION MEALS TOSTUDENTS.THERE ARE 49 OTHER ACROSS THESIT, LIKE THIS ONE, WITHSCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ANDVOLUNTEERS, LOADING BREAKFASTAND LUNCH FOR STUDENTS THATNEED IT.AFTER EVERY SERVICE, WEKIND OF STEP BACK AND SEE WHATWORKS.ON MONDAY ABOUT 100,000STUDENTS WERE SERVED COMPAREDTO SEVERAL DOZEN THE FIRSTWEEK.SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THECORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, THE USDABEGAN ISSUING WAIVERS IN ORDERTO MAKE IT EASIER FOR STATESTO SERVE CHILDREN.THE DIVISION WORKING TO GETTHEM OUT.GREAT NEWS FOR THESE EMPLOYEES, WHO LOOK FORWARD TOPROVIDING NUTRITIOUS MEALS INTHE HIGH NEED AREA THEY IS HERFORGING RELATIONSHIP WITHSOME OF THE CHILDREN WHO COMEHERE, EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'TKNOW THEM FROM ANYWHERE ELSEBUT HERE.FOR NEXT WEEK, DUE TO THEHOLIDAY, MAYOR JIM KENNEY SAYSFOOD WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ONTUESDAY, INSTEAD OF MONDAY.REPORTING LIVE FROM THEPHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT,