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Scott County Central Food Program delivering meals and social connection
SIKESTON, Mo. — The bus driver spotted them as he pulled up to the bus stop on March 18, the first day Scott County Central delivered meals to families following the halt of classes due to the coronavirus. Grinning, the students said they got up early — a quarter of seven — so they wouldn’t miss the bus’s arrival.
While they gladly accepted that day’s lunch and the next day’s breakfast, they explained they really hoped to see if their high school principal, John Mark Jones, was riding the bus. Each day the meals are delivered, the two are waiting for the bus’s arrival eager to greet those aboard.
In a time of social distancing, there is still the opportunity for social connections.
Brian Hukel, superintendent of Scott County Central, said as the buses make stops Monday through Friday to deliver food to the district’s children, he has encouraged those aboard to take their time.
“We are not in a hurry in the morning. There are no deadlines, so we will sit at the homes and bus stops and visit with the families and the kids,” he said. “Everyone has been really, really receptive to the service.”
According to Hukel, the first week of delivering meals to students across the district has gone well. On average 200 lunches are delivered each day.
“Our No. 1 objective is to put meals into the hands of families that need them — what ever that takes. That is why we made the decision to go door to door,” he said. “Some of our families rely on those meals.”
Meal preparation begins early in the morning by the OPAA staff, the district’s food service provider.
The meals are items that travel well. Breakfasts have included cereals, pancakes, yogurt, juice and milk while lunches range from various sandwiches to chicken wraps along with chips, a vegetable, a fruit and milk.
Volunteers load the meals on to the district’s buses, which head out on their routes by 7:30 a.m. It takes about an hour for the buses to complete the rounds.
The stops aren’t just about food deliveries. Hukel said volunteers also talk with the parents and ask if there is anything else they need. As the deliveries continue, he said the district will also provide personal products, such as shampoo and toothpaste, to those who are unable to get out to obtain them on their own.
With the uncertainty of how long schools will be closed, the superintendent is assuring families the district is in “for the long haul. We will continue this service as long as it is needed.”
There are plenty of volunteers to assist in the program, Hukel noted. In addition to school administrators assisting with deliveries, the district’s teachers have signed up to serve.
“It makes you very proud,” he said about the staff’s willingness to help out. “It makes you know that these folks are in the profession for right reason: They love kids.”
And he admitted he benefits from it, too.
“It is the best part of our day.You get to see the kids, to see their faces, to talk with them and make sure they are doing OK,” he said. “You know that you are making a difference in their day.”
Elementary principal Stacy Pullen sees benefits for everyone from the program.
With the many business closures, some parents have lost income.
“Many students depend on the meals and many families didn’t have time to adjust their budgets when their food bill doubled by having kids home every day,” Pullen said.
As soon as the staff learned about the district’s plans to provide meals, she said they were happy to sign up to help. Delivering the meals gives the teachers a chance to see their students and stay connected during uncertain times.
Jones agrees. The high school principal, a self-described doer, has loaded buses and traveled different routes to distribute food to students since the program began.
“I think for the most part it has given our families some reassurance. Everybody is just so isolated. This gives them a little more consistency to see us every day. They know we haven’t fallen off the face of the earth,” he said.
Jones said in addition to offering them a smile, he tells the students that he misses them. He urges them to stay safe, stay healthy.
Most of the students are all smiles as the buses arrive, however, during a stop, one young student cried and told Jones she missed school and her teachers. Parents have expressed their thanks for the meals and are gratified for the district’s efforts.
“It means a lot to them, but it means just as much for us to give to them,” Jones acknowledged. “It is therapy for me as well.”