Glenwood School District Distributing Free Summer Meals At Northeast Elementary
GCSD Food Service workers Michelle Jacobson and Ranae Parks distribute lunches Thursday afternoon at the drive-up meal site at Northeast Elementary School.
Some of the Glenwood Community School District Food Service Department workers assisting with the summer meals program at Northeast Elementary. Front row (from left): Dawn Harris, Ruth Congdon, Louise Weber, Ranae Parks, Darwis Gomez, Shirley Paullin, Michelle Fisher, Brandy Roberts. Back row: Ann Kastrup, Michelle Jacobson, Michelle Bennett, Terry Marlow.
GCSD Food Service workers Louise Weber and Darwis Gomez sort cartons of milk at Northeast Elementary School.
Terry Marlow, Director of the GCSD Food Service Department.
Glenwood Community School District Food Service Department workers Ann Kastrup, Michelle Fisher and Michelle Bennett organize carry-out meals.
The Glenwood Community School District (GCSD) is again participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USAD) Summer Food Service Program.
Terry Marlow, Director of the GCSD Food Service Department, said meals are available to all children on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are no income requirements or registration.
“Any child 18 and under may come to eat for free,” Marlow said.
The program is being offered Monday – Friday through the month of July.
Through June 30, meals will be served curbside from Northeast Elementary School, 901 North Vine St The pick up location is in the parking lot on the east side of building (Linn Street entrance). Curbside pick-up will be available from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. for lunch and next day breakfast
From July 6-29 (Monday through Friday), dine-in meals (lunch) will be served from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Northeast Elementary. The entrance is on the east side of the building.
Marlow said the curbside service was implemented during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“The (COVID) waivers are still in place so we’re able to do curbside,” Marlow said. “The waiver ends June 30 so that’s why we’ll be back to serving inside in July.”
Marlow said school district food service employees are preparing about 500 takeout meals daily. He expects the number to decline when the meal service moves indoors. Marlow encourages all parents to utilize the program for their children, regardless of the family’s financial situation.
“I tell people it’s their money. It’s like their stimulus - they’re not taking away from someone else,” he said. “Currently, the children are requested to be present in the car but parents or guardians can pick up the meals without the children present. We do ask that the parents fill out a meal distribution form if the children are not present when picking up the meals. We then give them a numbered colored dash card to present for future visits.”
Marlow gave a shout-out to his fellow food service employees, noting they’ve continued to feed the school district’s children through some trying times over the past three years.
“Kudos to these people,” he said. “They had a flood (in 2019) when they served meals with no water and then it was all the challenges that came with COVID.”
Marlow noted that keeping the district’s food service operations running smoothly this past year was been particularly challenging because of supply chain issues.
Glenwood’s Summer Food Service program will be closed July 1, 4, and 5. For more information, contact the Glenwood Schools Food Service Department at 712-527-5029, or email at foodservice@glenwoodschools.org.