Marquette Area Public Schools providing free meals to students

MARQUETTE COUNTY — Due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools across the country have had to close their doors. For children who depend on their schools for meals, this can be a frightening situation.

Marquette Area Public Schools announced that as of March 17, they will be offering a solution to that problem. They will provide breakfasts, lunches, and JJ packs–made up of dry and canned foods–to any student 18 years of age or under, entirely for free.

Parents are able to pick up meals for their children even if the students aren’t with them at the time. As long as they sign the student’s name when they arrive, they can collect meals to take home to their children.

“Normally the students would need to eat the food on site,” said MAPS Food Service Director Chris Collins. “But now because we don’t want people around each other because of social distancing, they’re allowed to pick up the food all in one visit, and they’re allowed to bring it home and have the meals at home.”

Meals will be available for a set period of time each day at four locations. Collins says that they wanted to make sure as many children as possible would be able to secure meals during this challenging period.

“We’re going to be at multiple locations,” said Collins. “We’re going to be at Graveraet, Cherry Creek, and Superior Hills. Free of charge, families can pick up breakfast, lunch, and a JJ pack all in one visit. We’ll have everything at our mobile locations that we have here at MSHS.”

Collins says Marquette Area Public Schools is working hard to ensure that every student is taken care of. For parents who are still required to come into work or can’t afford the extra meals, these free breakfast and lunch options can be a tremendous help.

“Normally throughout the course of the school year, we have quite a few students that receive free or reduced–price breakfast and lunch,” explained Collins. “And even for parents that have to work right now, it’s a good way to make sure that students continue to receive food and continue to be fed. For lower income families, or any family for that matter, it’s just a good way to make sure that we’re still taking care of the students.”

Meals will be available at Marquette Senior High School from 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 11:30-12:30 p.m. inside the school. Guests are asked to enter through the entrance under the canopy. Graveraet will be providing meals at the employee parking lot from 10:50-11:10 a.m. Superior Hills will provide meals in the parking lot in front of the school from 11:20-11:40 a.m. Meals will also be provided at Cherry Creek from 12:00-12:20 p.m. in the school’s front parking lot.

5 Day Breakfast Menu:

Monday – Muffin, yogurt, fruit, fruit juice, milk

Tuesday – Cereal, yogurt, fruit, fruit juice, milk

Wednesday – Nutrigrain, string cheese, fruit, fruit juice, milk

Thursday – Cracker, string cheese, fruit, fruit juice, milk

Friday – Muffin, yogurt, fruit, fruit juice, milk

5 Day Lunch Menu:

Monday – Twin cheeseburgers, Cheez-Its, apple sauce cup, orange, milk

Tuesday – Jammer, Goldfish cracker, sliced apples, fruit mix in cup, milk

Wednesday – Turkey, ham and cheese, Bug Bites, baby carrot, peach cup, milk

Thursday – Burrito, tortilla chip, clementine, apple sauce cup, milk

Friday – Pizza, animal cracker, carrot, apple sauce cup, milk