St. Paul schools among 19 districts offering Ramadan meal kits for Muslim students
Muslims all over the world are recognizing the start of the holy month of Ramadan. It's a time for worship, service and gathering. It also means most of the month is spent fasting from sunrise to sunset.
For the first time, some Minnesota school districts are giving extra support to students during the holiday with a new Ramadan Meal Kit program.
"They gave us the green light to try something new this year," said Stacy Koppen, St. Paul Public Schools' director of nutrition services.
At St. Paul Public Schools, food service crews are packaging 750 meal kits a day. Students can grab the kit — consisting of breakfast and lunch — at the end of the day to eat once fast is broken at sunset. District leaders say it's all about meeting students where they're at.
"We have such a large number of students who are fasting during Ramadan, so it's critically important that we change our normal operation so that we are able to honor and respect and ensure that our students have what they need in a manner that allows them to still practice their religion," Koppen said.
A total of 19 school districts across the state are offering up a similar program, including Wilmar and Farmington public schools.
"This is definitely historic," said Dr. Abdisalam Adam, principal at East African Magnet School. "I really appreciate St. Paul Public School District taking this initiative."
It's especially relevant at schools like Adam's. While most Muslim children don't fast until adolescence, he said at least half of his second graders were fasting Monday.
"They just want to be part of the spirit and practice it," he said.
Dr. Adam says the inclusivity is heartwarming.
"To be recognized and to be seen, and your faith values to be reinforced and recognized by a huge district like St. Paul Public Schools, is really beautiful," he said.
St. Paul Public Schools says there's no additional cost to create and distribute the Ramadan Meal Kits.
The holy month began on Friday and ends at sunset on March 29, immediately followed by the holiday Eid-al-Fitr, which culminates in a celebratory feast.
