New Article: Amid COVID-19, Summer Meals Efforts Innovate in the Face of Uncertainty

With schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the rate of children suffering from food insecurity has skyrocketed, as many relied on school meal programs as a reliable source of food. In this week’s Spotlight Exclusive, Analisa Sorrells, Chief of Staff and Associate Director of Policy for EducationNC, describes how school nutrition departments are working to feed students over the summer in the midst of the ongoing crisis. The USDA has removed restrictive regulations on summer meals and has granted new waivers that allow for all students to receive free summer meals and for parents to pick up meals without a student being present.  With these waivers in place, states and local school systems are working to meet demands and develop innovations including enlisting volunteers or using school buses to deliver and distribute meals. This piece was published in partnership with EdNC.org.