Tulsa Public Schools begins its "grab and go" meal service today.
Breakfasts and lunches will be offered to kids ages 1 to 18 through April 3 while schools are closed. Packaged meals will be given out at dozens of sites and along 12 bus routes, where drivers will make roughly five-minute stops.
"The fact that our nutrition team is able to stand up almost 40 sites and that in collaboration with our transportation team is going to be delivering to more than 170 is pretty remarkable," said TPS Superintendent Deborah Gist.
On Monday, TPS is running a one-time schedule, distributing breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and lunch and breakfast for the next day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The rest of the time, lunch for the day and breakfast for the next day will be handed out from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Fridays, breakfast for Monday will be given to families.
The full schedule, lists of sites and bus stops, and menus are at a dedicated TPS meal sites website.
On Wednesday, TPS will also have at meal sites printed copies of learning resources for students while schools are closed. Those are available online today.
"We want to ensure that we understand ridership patterns in terms of where families are picking up food so that we can provide the resources to them in the most-needed areas," said TPS Chief Talent and Learning Officer Devin Fletcher.
Participants are asked to practice social distancing and stay six feet apart while picking up meals.
About 85% of TPS students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
