Feeding local kids while school is out

For many students, school is more than just a place of learning, it’s also the only place they can depend on for meals.

With schools closed down due to the Coronavirus, many students are unsure of where their next meal may come from.

This is why Ocean Springs School District has teamed up with Backpack Buddies and numerous volunteers to provide meals for students everyday they will be out of class.

The students and their families will pick up their bag full of meals today and the bag will contain enough food to feed them for the week.

Some students in the Ocean Springs School District receive two meals a day from the school which is a significant source of where their daily nutrition comes from. Ocean Springs Superintendent Dr. Bonita Coleman said, “Ocean Springs School District is a little bit different than other schools in terms of we don’t meet the 50 percent threshold of free and reduced lunch students. So we can’t open up our kitchens right now and serve like we see some other districts doing but regardless of that stumbling block we wanted to make sure we were able to provide meals.”

The district received over $4,000 on donations for these meals. Officials with Ocean Springs School District tell News 25 they plan to make meals again next Tuesday for students if the school is still closed down.