WADDELL, Ariz. — The COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on a lot of Valley families financially. And the challenges presented there can mean less food on the table at home.
To help, one local school district is going the extra mile to make sure no child goes hungry.
The school meal packing starts early each morning, even before students at the Agua Fria Unified School District are logging on to learn virtually.
“The pandemic has created a huge need within our community, and once we saw that need we collaborated with our business department and transportation department," said Barbara Duncan, district food service director.
Duncan and Dani Moehr, the transportation director, are leading the mission to feed students who rely on school meals
“We’re almost feeding 1,000 kids now and we’re really proud of that," Moehr said.
The team is taking school buses that would normally be moving students around and filling them with food bags for families instead. It’s been named "Bluebird Eats," and it keeps bus drivers working too.
“We have a lot of families whose parents are either single or who have gone back to work, leaving their kids at home to virtually learn or potentially take care of younger siblings," Moehr said. "Knowing how difficult that is, at least we can take the stress off a meal provided.”
And Duncan says they’re feeding siblings in the family younger than 18, thanks to a waiver from the USDA.
It's nutritious food filling Valley students and going a long way for Arizona education in a pandemic.
According to the latest U.S. Census results, only about 15% of those who qualify are getting the meals. Oftentimes that’s because they just can’t find a way to receive them.
