With school shut down for the foreseeable future, many families are having to adjust to a new normal way of living. The challenge is only intensified for those families who rely on the schools for meals, and the snack pack program that provides food for students on the weekends.
Thanks to the help of sponsors from across the community, schools in Gloucester and Mathews have been able to send these snacks to students’ homes for the weekend.
Mathews schools
The snack pack program for Mathews County Public Schools is being distributed by Nelda Gibbs and her fellow school employees. On Friday she had five routes for the snack pack deliveries. According to Gibbs, this is not her program, but she will do what she can to provide meals for the children of Mathews, as long as the sponsoring churches keep supplying them.
On April 1, she and the schools will reevaluate the program, but for now snack packs will be delivered on Fridays.
Page Middle School
Page Middle School counselor Jordan Krevonick has contacted each of the families who participate in the “Page Pack” program and offered for them to come pick up a large amount of food from the school. According to Krevonick, if they were not able to make it to Page then they plan to have someone from transportation deliver the food to them.
All of their food comes from local donations from churches; however, Krevonick is not sure if they will receive more food until some of the governor’s bans have been lifted. All of the families have received that information and also know they are able to access both breakfast and lunches through GCPS.
“We work very closely with our families at Page and I have urged them to contact the school or me directly if a need for food or assistance is needed. We will always do what we can to help,” said Krevonick.
Bethel Elementary
According to Valerie Lewis, Newington Baptist Church provided Bethel’s families with two weeks of food this week and the GCPS transportation department delivered them to homes. Next week, Bethel Elementary’s sponsor will change for April. Lewis said that she will encourage the next sponsors to bring the food early so that GCPS transportation can be utilized again.
Abingdon Elementary
According to the Rev. Sven L. vanBaars, pastor of Abingdon Episcopal Church, the church has delivered two weeks’ worth of “Panther Packs” to Abingdon Elementary, and are currently waiting to hear if more are needed. Mr. vanBaars said that the church had enough for three more weeks, ready to go. The packs are being giving out during the free lunch distribution the school holds.
Petsworth Elementary
According to Cindy Thomas, Community Engagement Coordinator of Petsworth Elementary, snack packs were available for pickup last Thursday and will be available for pick on future Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., until further notice.