FOOD: Where to get free meals for kids amid coronavirus pandemic

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - With schools, businesses, and restaurants shutting down or modifying their hours as COVID-19 spreads, here’s a list of places where families can get meals for their children.

ONE-STOP-SHOP: Everything you need to know related to Baton Rouge area impact of COVID-19

More: Use this website to search for EBR meal sites for kids

Ascension Parish Public Schools has partnered with the Three O’Clock Project to provide meals to children 18 and under starting Tuesday, April 14.

Pickup Times/Locations

Dutchtown High - 10 to 11 a.m.
East Ascension High - 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
St. Amant High - 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.
Sorrento Primary - 10 to 11 a.m.
Donaldsonville High - 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Old West Ascension - 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

At this time, pickup will be Monday through Friday with one “grab and go” breakfast and lunch.

The Child Nutrition Program of the Diocese of Baton Rouge will continue to serve meals Monday through Friday during the month of July at the times and locations mentioned below. All children through 18 years of age, regardless of faith or school affiliation, are eligible for these meals.

Meals will be distributed on a first-come/first-served basis.

Drive-thru meal service will be provided at all sites. However, walk-up service will also be available, but all should maintain proper social distancing.

At least one child must be present in order to receive a meal package. If additional meal packages are needed, the parent/guardian must print and complete the Parent Pickup Form and bring it with them to the meal distribution site. Forms will also be available at each site.

MEAL SERVICE SITES

Meals will be distributed at the sites listed below from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the dates shown. Each student will receive a package containing five breakfasts and five lunches, plus a gallon of milk.

Meals will be distributed at the sites listed above.(Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge)

The EBR Head Start Program will begin distributing breakfast and lunch to Head Start families beginning Monday, March 23, at the following Head Start Center locations from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

CHARLIE THOMAS HEAD START

8686 Pecan Tree Dr., Baton Rouge

CHILDREN’S WORLD EARLY HEAD START

7200 Maplewood Dr., Baton Rouge

FREEMAN-MATTHEWS HEAD START

1383 Napoleon St., Baton Rouge

LABELLE AIRE HEAD START

1919 N Christy Dr., Baton Rouge

NEW HORIZON HEAD START

1111 N 28th St., Baton Rouge

PROGRESS I HEAD START

1881 Progress Rd., Baton Rouge

PROGRESS II HEAD START

1881 Progress Rd., Baton Rouge

WONDERLAND HEAD START

1500 Oleander St., Baton Rouge

Click here to keep up to date with the latest information about meal distribution sites for kids in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS).

Beginning June 1, children must be present to pick up meals. If you are picking up food on behalf of a child, you must fill out a form listing the name, age, address, and phone number of the child to verify. Click here for more info.

Every Kid a King, a local organization that aims to meet the immediate needs of disadvantaged families, has partnered with the Louisiana Leadership Institute and law enforcement agencies to provide free meals for families to cook at home. Distribution will begin Saturday, March 21 on a drive-thru only basis at 10 a.m. at the Louisiana Leadership Institute, located at 5763 Hooper Rd. in Baton Rouge.

Citizens will be asked to not get out of their cars. Local law enforcement members will distribute the meals, which are limited to one package per car of a first come, first served basis. The drive-thru service will happen every Saturday until further notice. For more information, call Kasey Williams at 225-342-9514 or email sen14@legis.la.gov.

Iberville Parish School District Food Distribution Update June 2, 2020(Iberville Parish School District)

IDEA Public Schools will be offering free curbside meals to all children under the age of 18 in each of their regions.

Beginning Monday, May 25 and through the summer, meals at IDEA schools in Louisiana will be available for pickup on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at IDEA Oscar Dunn in New Orleans and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at IDEA Bridge and IDEA Innovation in Baton Rouge.

All meals are provided via drive-thru only. All children in the community 18 years and under are eligible for meal service at any school location.

Families seeking more information on school closures, meal services, and the distance learning program, may visit: https://ideapublicschools.org/parents/network-updates/.

Families wanting more information on school closure, meal service, childcare services, and the distance learning program, may visit: https://ideapublicschools.org/parents/health-services/

For more information about IDEA Public Schools, please contact Jennifer Flores at 210-551-9253 or at jennifer.flores2@ideapublicschools.org.

Open for distribution Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until further notice
Normal weekly pickup schedule continues alphabetically:
Week 1 - A to G
Week 2 - H to M
Week 3 - N to S
Week 4 - T to Z
Drive-thru pickup available

Using the Meals-to-You program, you’ll get a Meals-to-You box delivered to your home for each child 1 to 18-years-old in your household every other week.

Each box will include 10 breakfasts and 10 lunches/suppers. All foods are shelf-stable. Meals are delivered for free, directly to your door.

The boxes are packed for security, and because the food is shelf-stable, you don’t have to worry about refrigerating the foods immediately. If you will be unable to pick up your box(es) on a given day, be sure to have a neighbor or family get it.

Receiving this benefit will NOT affect any other existing benefits, school system officials say.

Sign up with this online form and submit it as soon as possible. Access the online form by clicking this link: https://mealstoyou.org/emergency-meals-to-you-application.

Boxes will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis, so sign up online as soon as possible.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact your school’s principal or childnutrition@lpsb.org.

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) released a statewide list of school locations where meals will be distributed to students age 18 and younger, beginning Wednesday, March 18.

View an interactive map of schools by parish by clicking here.

Schools and centers that do not offer meal programs should refer families to ones that do. Districts, charter schools, private schools, and early childhood centers are encouraged to collaborate when possible to ensure that all children in the community continue to receive meals.

Where to get free meals in St. James Parish.(WAFB)

The YMCA of the Capital Area has partnered with the Three O’Clock Project to provide free meals to children in the Baton Rouge community.

Meals will be made available starting Monday, April 20 until further notice. The meals will be available for grab and go breakfast and lunch at the A.C. Lewis YMCA, located at 350 S Foster Dr.

The meals will be provided every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. for children under the age of 18.

Breakfast and lunch will be delivered to children under 18 in areas around the parish beginning Wednesday, March 18, from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. The two meals will be distributed at the same time. The service will continue as long as resources allow. If you have any questions regarding food services, call Ms. Pat Gilmore at 225-635-0322. If you have any questions regarding transportation, call Mr. Rod Lemoine at 225-635-2963.
Meals are for children 18 and under ONLY. When receiving your meals, a child under 18 must be present. Please note these are approximate times that students should be looking for the bus delivery of food. Please be patient the first few days as routes are figured out. The bus will meet students needing meals at the normal drop off points in these areas.

Bus 54