MANATEE COUNTY – Attention Suncoast Parents, If you’re kids are 18 years or younger, there’s a chance of getting free meals in the next two weeks.
Manatee County Food and Nutrition Services are feeding kids in seven locations throughout the county.
“Any student 18 years or younger are able to come and receive free lunch,” says Senior Supervisor for Manatee County School District Food and Nutrition Services Department, Shelley Deutschle.
Manatee County’s Food and Nutrition Services department feed students every spring break but are now extending their services until next week while taking precautions in social distancing to keep students safe from coronavirus.
“They are going up to the window and we are providing them the meals and they can take the meals away and eat them or if they wanted to sit outside, you know not congregating together they can certainly do that,” says Deutschle.
Every child is greeted with a smile and “make sure you clean your hands very good before you eat” before receiving their free lunch.
“We have already served 491 students which is really good on our first day, but we expect those numbers to just keep soaring,” says Deutschle.
Manatee County Student, Manuel Gonzalez says he found out about the free meals through a flyer at school
“I showed my mom and she said oh we can go,” said Gonzalez.
“This is going to help a lot, all the kids can come here and eat quickly and then go back to their homes, so they won’t have to be outside as much as well,” said Mother of Student, Sandra Rocha.
Diechel believes free meals are always a need, but now, it’s an even greater need.
“With the unknowns of the virus and etc. that’s out there this is kind of a stable situation that the kids know, it’s comfortable for them, so we think that that’ll be the look forward to coming and getting their meals and it also provides that little bit of stability for parents that maybe this is a difficult time, maybe they are not working, maybe next week they won’t be working,” says Deutschle.
Free Meals Spring Break, March 16-20 AND March 23-27 for Kids & Teens 18 years & younger
North Locations:
Turner Chapel – 317 11th ST. W., Palmetto – 11:30 AM -12:00 PM
Lincoln Chapel – 501 17th ST. E., Palmetto – 12:30 PM- 1:30 PM
South Locations:
Southeast High School- 1200 37th AVE, E., Bradenton – 11:00 AM-11:30 AM
Bradenton Village APT- 1302 3rd ST. W., Bradenton – 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Pride Park – 815 63rd AVE. E., Bradenton – 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Caboose Locations:
Manatee Mobile Home Park -2204 Manatee AVE. E., Bradenton 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
City Shop- 619 11th AVE. E., Bradenton – 12:30 AM – 12:00 PM
