LVJUSD Serves 50,000 Meals To Kids At Home

Press release from the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District:

April 23 2020

Livermore, CA - Dismissing school to help contain the spread of COVID-19 changed in-person learning to distance learning. Fortunately, school kitchens remain open, even while classrooms are quiet. Since distance learning began on Monday, March 15, 2020, the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) Child Nutrition Department has served 51,925 meals to children in Livermore. Especially for students who rely on free and reduced meals to provide nutrition while attending school, having access to meals at this time is critical so that students are nourished and able to learn.

Dana Dodge, Child Nutrition Director for the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) applied for the COVID-19 USDA Waiver on March 13, 2020, the same day the LVJUSD Board of Education acknowledged the COVID-19 pandemic as an emergency situation and voted to dismiss schools. Because of Dodge’s immediate action, the Child Nutrition team began serving meals on the first day of school dismissal, Monday, March 15.

Known fondly by students as “the lunch ladies,” Kristina Carter and Romie Silvera lead the work of two teams who prepare and serve food Monday - Friday to any child, aged 18 and younger, who walks up to the meal tables and requests food. The Child Nutrition Team has set up “grab and go” stations at four District schools - Christensen Middle, East Avenue Middle, Junction K-8, and Marylin Avenue Elementary. Children receive a lunch for today and a breakfast for tomorrow that they can take home to eat.

Dodge applied for and received the additional COVID-19 Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP) Meal Waiver, which allowed LVJUSD to provide supper at both Junction Avenue and Marylin Avenue schools, in addition to breakfasts and lunches. Since the District already provided supper to students participating in the after-school BELIEVES program at those schools, LVJUSD was eligible for the COVID-19 CACFP waiver.

All food service staff members wear gloves and practice Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety and sanitation practices. Production stations are set up so that the staff members have at least six feet between them. The meal service is drive thru or pick up to avoid congregating.
Meals have been served each school day since March 13, with community organizations partnering to augment food distribution and to fill in gaps. In anticipation of Spring Break, when schools and food distribution were closed, the Taylor Family Foundation provided gift cards for grocery shopping to families whose children were receiving food. Fertile Groundworks, the Livermore Rotary Club, Starbucks, and the Girl Scouts are among the community groups that have contributed food to Livermore children.

Dodge is proud of the work of her team. “Even though this has been a difficult time for our world, nation and community, I have seen only positivity come out in my department. It is beautiful to see the teamwork and love my staff has shown to the children in our community,” she said. “I am so proud of the LVJUSD child nutrition heroes!”

Starting Monday, April 20, meals will be available at the four school sites between 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. The morning distribution time will ensure food is fresh as the days warm up.

This press release was produced by the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.