Feeding students not in school lauded

WESTOVER — Somerset County Public Schools’ (SCPS) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) under the direction of FNS District Manager David Scott recently received a letter of commendation from the nonprofit No Kid Hungry Maryland.

Because of the work of SCPS staff and volunteers, more than 100,000 meals were served to children in Somerset County since the COVID-19 school closures began effective March 16.

“Somerset County Public Schools and all school districts in Maryland closed to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” a schools spokesperson said. “Knowing that students in the community would go without meals during an extended closure, the SCPS FNS team and a group of dedicated volunteers from other departments and the community quickly devised and executed a plan to deliver much needed meals to students in the county.”

Meal bundles were distributed on an established schedule to key locations throughout the county for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, after which SCPS shifted to a summer feeding model to continue providing meals for students.

The school district continues to provide daily meals to students even though education at this time is in a virtual learning format only.

District Manager Scott said, “I am extremely proud to see our FNS team rise to the occasion and continue to serve the youth in our community during the closure for COVID-19. We know that nutritious meals are vital to the success of any school day, no matter the learning format.