PELHAM – School closures during the COVID-19 pandemic did not keep Pelham City Schools staff from ensuring local students had access to meals for the remainder of the school year.

The school system’s Child Nutrition Program employees prepared and distributed more than 37,000 breakfast and lunch meals to students over the last two months.

“Obviously, it wasn’t the greatest circumstances, but my entire staff came together and just went above and beyond and did a phenomenal job,” CNP Director Patrick McGavin said. “Nothing would be done without them.”

Pelham’s Child Nutrition Program staff prepared and distributed bagged meals for students in a drive-thru format at Pelham Park Middle School. (Contributed)

McGavin said the CNP staff received support from countless teachers, administrators and support staff members as they worked to assemble bagged meals for students’ parents to pick up for them each week from Pelham Park Middle School, where a drive-thru was set up outside.

“The outreach and support there was tremendous,” McGavin said. “The Pelham bus drivers volunteered on a weekly basis as well. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without them, either.”

In a recent Pelham Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Scott Coefield shared the meal distribution update with board members, praising the employees and volunteers for their tireless work in uncertain times.

“That really has been an inspiring thing,” Coefield said.

While school is out for the summer, children may continue to receive healthy meals through the Summer Feeding Program, free of charge.

Pelham City Schools does not host a summer meals site, but Pelham students may attend a Summer Feeding Program outside of the city.

To find meal sites based on location, visit Fns.usda.gov/meals4kids.

For more information about the Pelham City Schools Child Nutrition Program, visit Pelhamcityschools.org/departments/child_nutrition_program/home.