MANCHESTER, NH – With COVID-19 up-ending the school year, the Manchester School District is maintaining at least one routine with help from several city partners: Making sure its students are fed, even during April school vacation.
In the last two months, the school district has made and delivered more than 200,000 breakfasts and lunches via school buses with the help of the Manchester Transit Authority and volunteers. Southern New Hampshire University is providing 7,000 meals on Saturdays, all paid for with donations that currently will cover meals through the end of May. But more support is needed for that program to continue. [See below for more on that.]
The Boys and Girls Club of Manchester and the Granite YMCA are covering dinner with free grab-and-go dinners at its sites Monday through Friday afternoons. For locations, see Food Resources on the district’s website.
Separately, the SNHU Center for New Americans at the YWCA NH is delivering snack bags, toiletries, and children’s activities and games to 75 homes every other week.
“The early vision was simple: Let’s get meals to our students in a manner that is open for all students,” said Assistant Superintendent Jenn Gillis. “The team was open-minded and quick to operate with a ‘How can we get it done’ mindset.’ The team has shown an unwavering ‘we got this’ attitude.”
The district started meal delivery March 17, the day after Gov. Chris Sununu announced schools would be closing due to the pandemic. Along with meals, the district has been handing out remote learning materials and continues to do so for students who need them. If bus drivers and volunteers don’t see a student at a meal stop for a day or two, they inquire about their wellbeing and connect them with support.
This partnership between the schools, city, and community partners has grown into the Community Collaboration group whose members meet weekly by phone to share updates on their work and identify gaps that need attention. When partners learn they are offering similar supports, they discuss how to shift resources to meet another need. Gillis said the district was able to respond as quickly as it did because these school-community partnerships were already in place.
In addition to SNHU, Boys and Girls Club of Manchester, and the YMCA and YWCA, participants have included City Year New Hampshire, Girls Inc., Media Youth Power, The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, United Way, Makin’ It Happen, Southern New Hampshire Services, and the Safe Sports Network.
SNHU meal program has funds to last through May 31
Through donations, SNHU has provided 53,000 meals to Manchester students and families in response to COVID-19 since March 28. The University is looking for additional financial support, as the meals program is currently funded through May 30.
“We are hoping to go at a minimum through the end of the school year in mid-June,” said Steve Thiel, assistant vice president for social impact and community relations. “But our hope is to go as long as there is need and there are resources.”
The $276,000 donated to date by the school’s trustees, alumni, foundations, corporations, and individuals covers the cost of the food, buses to deliver it to sites in Manchester, and a police detail at each site to help manage social distancing. An additional $60,000 is needed to provide meals just until school ends. Donations beyond that will allow the university to continue providing meals.
Donations may be made on SNHU’s alumni website.
For a list of distribution locations, see Food Resources on the Manchester School District website at https://www.mansd.org/.
