Local Schools Work to Provide Food to Kids During Shutdown

One of the unintended consequences of shutting schools down while trying to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is school children not getting the food service local schools provide to them. Here's what some local school districts are doing to meet the need of hungry children out of school:

Sedalia School District 200

From the Sedalia 200 School District Facebook Page:

Sedalia School District #200 and Heartland Redistribution Solutions and Support, through a grant from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, are teaming up to provide meals for district students in need. Deliveries will begin Monday, March 23.
A sack including breakfast, lunch and dinner meals will be provided Monday through Friday for students in need during the period that the district is out of school, currently through April 3. The meals will be delivered by First Student buses on their standard daily routes at students’ regular bus stops. The deliveries will be made on the district’s two-hour delayed start schedule. Students who typically walk to school or ride in a car will be able to pick up meal bags from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the school they attend. Parents need to have children with them in order to pick up food.

Any student with a need for food will be served, regardless of whether they are in the federal free and reduced-price meal program.

Whittier High and Smith-Cotton High students can get meals at the school bus stops in their neighborhood or at nearby elementary schools, the middle school or junior high; meals will not be available for pickup at either high school.

Knob Noster Schools

From the Knob Noster Schools Facebook Page:

Knob Noster Public Schools has qualified to provide 100% FREE "Grab and Go" meals (breakfast, lunch, and snack) for students beginning Monday, March 23.
Meals are available for all individuals 18 years of age and younger and all individuals with special needs 21 years of age and younger. At the time of pickup, all three meals will be batched together and will include two days’ worth of food.
There will be no access to the school building. Meals will be delivered curbside to your vehicle Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9:00 am-12:00 pm in the back parking lot of Knob Noster Middle School at 211 East Wimer Street.

Additionally the March Panther Pantry will be open WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25TH from 4p-6p in the KNMS back parking lot! Who can pick up food? Any family that has at least one child enrolled in the Knob Noster School District. How do I pick up food? Simply drive up & someone will load groceries into your car for you! What if I can't make it during the hours the Panther Pantry is open? Email Taylor Morrison @ tmorrison@knr8.org

Warrensburg Region V-I School District

Warrensburg R-6 School District began food service for students Wednesday March 18. Please share this information with anyone who has school-age students.

Burg Bites: Meal support for students ages 0-18 yrs!

From 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Prepackaged meals (breakfast and lunch) will be offered at

Sterling, Reese, Martin Warren, Maple Grove and the High School.

To better slow the spread of the coronavirus, we are following suggested Federal guidelines of 10 people or less in groups. These meals will be walked to your car. Go to the student drop off line at any of the schools and look for signs that say meal pick-up.

You do not have to pick-up at your student's school, you can pick-up at any of the schools above.

Crest Ridge School District

The Crest Ridge School District implemented their COVID-19 School Closure Meal Plan on Wednesday March 18. There are two ways to get meals, delivery or pick up at the high school. Those who wish to participate in the program should contact Sandy Hobbs at 660-656-3316 or by email at shobbs@crestridge.org. Pick up at the high school will be between 9:00AM-10:00AM CDT.