The food service program operated by Crookston Public Schools during the COVID-19 pandemic is serving about 900 meals, breakfast, and lunch, to around 450 kids each day. Crookston Food Service Director Anna Ogaard-Brekken said that number has stayed steady since week two of the program. “We’re serving about 450 kids a day, and each kid gets two meals, breakfast and lunch at that pickup time between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” said Ogaard-Brekken. “That’s been pretty stagnant since week two of the program. We started at about 200, and that quickly climbed up to 400-450. Since week two, we’ve been holding strong at that number and pretty consistent overall.”
The food service program will continue to provide meals for the academic year through May 27, with the exception of Memorial Day. The summer food service program will then begin on June 1, according to Ogaard-Brekken. “Right now, we’re doing the grab and go option at Highland Elementary School as well as offering deliveries for the remainder of the school year,” said Ogaard-Brekken. “We will not do any service, grab and go or delivery, on May 25 due to Memorial Day. Then, May 27 will be the last day of deliveries. May 28-29, there will be no food service, and then we will continue with just the grab and go option for all of June and July.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines against large gatherings, Ogaard-Brekken said the summer food service program would, at least for the time being, be provided as a grab and go option at Highland Elementary School. “We’ve decided to continue in the manner that we’re operating based on the orders from the Department of Health for congregate settings,” said Ogaard-Brekken. “We’re going to continue to do grab and go from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. out of Highland Elementary School. We will not be running food service at the parks this summer as we have in previous years.”
The summer program will continue to serve both lunch and breakfast said Ogaard-Brekken. And she encourages all those using the program being offered during the school year to continue to utilize the program through the summer as the district is reimbursed for those meals. “We want to continue to see our numbers high even though we are going to stop deliveries,” said Ogaard-Brekken. “We do get reimbursed per meal served from the government, so the more students who use the program, the more we’re able to offer it. If we see a significant decline in participation, we wouldn’t be able to continue the service. So, we want to make sure our numbers stay up, and all kids 0-18 years are getting that grab and go option. Again, this summer, we don’t have to have kids present. It is non-congregate settings, so a parent can come and grab the meals for the students in their family and bring them home to eat in the safety of their own home.”
IMPORTANT DATES FOR CROOKSTON FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM
- May 25 – no food service program
- May 27 – last day of food service deliveries
- May 28-29 – no food service program
- June 1-July 31 – grab and go food service from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Highland Elementary School
