Coronavirus: LAUSD To Offer Grab-And-Go Meals Instead Of Opening Family Resource Centers
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — With new, tightening restrictions on social distancing in the effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, LAUSD has scrapped its plans to open Family Resource Centers and will instead work to establish grab-and-go centers.
When they announced the closure of the nation's second-largest district, officials initially planned to open 40 Family Resource Centers, providing safe study and child care options and a place where children could find warm food. But with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommending the cancellation of gatherings of 10 people or much longer than anticipated, district officials are now on to Plan C.
"At this time, state and local health and public safety officials cannot assure us it will be safe for the children and adults at the Family Centers for us to provide care for children at these sites," Superintendent Austin Beutner said in a statement to the district.
The new plan will be to open a total of 60 Grab and Go Food Centers starting Wednesday between 7 and 10 a.m., where each child will receive two meals, at any of the available centers.
The Los Angeles Dream Center, 2301 Bellevue Avenue, is also providing to-go meals for students from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and delivering care packages to the elderly. Food and financial donations are being accepted.
Other school districts are also offering to go meals to their students.
Chino Valley Unified
Through March 19: CVUSD Adult Education campus, 12970 3rd St, Chino, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
No food service during Spring Break.
March 30-April 3: Curbside pickup at all school sites between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Compton Unified
Through March 30: Clinton, Jefferson, Kelly, McNair, McKinley, Longfellow and Rosecrans elementary schools will offer breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Pasadena Unified
Monday through Friday, except during Spring Break, meals will be distributed based on the number of children in the car at Field, Madison and Norma Coombs elementary schools; Eliot and Wilson middle schools; McKinley School and Muir High School.
Alhambra Unified
March 17: Free lunch served in school cafeterias
Starting March 18: Free meals provided via drive-through service at each school site for everyone under 18 in the vehicle.
Capistrano Unified
Monday through Friday, meals will be distributed to all children in each vehicle between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at four schools sites: San Juan, Las Palmas and Hidden Hills elementary schools, and Marco Forster Middle School.
Huntington Beach City School District
Starting March 17: Families can pick up free meals from 11 a.m. to noon for every child under 18 in the car at Peterson Elementary School, 20661 Farnsworth Lane.
Irvine Unified
During the district's closure, any student can get a meal Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cadence Park School; Cypress, Northwood, Oak Creek, Culverdale, and University Park elementary schools; and Venado and Southlake middle schools.
Santa Monica Unified
Starting March 17: All students can pick up free breakfast and lunch from 7 to 9 a.m. at Santa Monica High, McKinley Elementary, Will Rogers Learning Community in Santa Monica, and Webster Elementary in Malibu.
Torrance Unified
Starting March 17 until at least March 27: All students can pick up free breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Torrance, Edison and Carr elementary schools, and at J.H. Hull and Magruder middle schools. Only breakfast is available at Shery High School.