A nonprofit that helps feed students on the First Coast is collecting meals for students who may only get fed at school while schools are closed because of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Co-founder of that nonprofit, Hunger Fight, Dean Porter, said they’re trying to fill most of their warehouse with meals for about 25,000 students in Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties. Porter said Hunger Fight hopes to provide three meals a day for at least one month to students starting when/if classes are canceled. Students who usually get free and reduced lunches at school will get the meals.
“It’s extremely important,” Porter said. “Obviously, for anybody, if they don’t have nutrition in their body they’re going to be that much more susceptible to illness, but these children specifically are not getting three meals a day on a regular basis, so if we don’t get them these meals they’re going to be even more susceptible to illness."
The nonprofit is working with schools along the First Coast to figure out where to distribute the meals. Porter said students will most likely be able to pick up the meals at schools in their counties.
By the numbers, Porter said that serving 25,000 students for one month adds up to about 2.4 million meals.
“Imagine yourself if you didn’t get three meals a day," he said. "I take it for granted that I have snacks in the cupboard. I can’t even imagine not having three meals a day, but to think that now all of a sudden the two meals that you count on because you’re able to go to school and have those and now all of a sudden you don’t even have that and you’re even pinning maybe for one meal a day. Your health issues are going to become dramatic and now you’re even more susceptible to more health issues in the worst possible time for you."
If you can donate or help pack the meals, go to Hungerfight.org, or call 904-374-5623.