Region schools feeding children during social distance breaks

Region schools feeding children during social distance breaks

Staff and volunteers greeted community members with smiles at the food pick-up location in La Porte this morning.

Throughout the pandemic, local schools and communities have been hard at work providing meals for students in need. Now that schools are closed for the summer, many are still continuing to provide meals. Here is an updated list of schools and their summer meal pans.

Lake County

Hobart -Bagged lunch program will be continuing throughout the summer. Pickup on Wednesdays at Hobart High School, Hobart Middle School, and Liberty and Ridge View Elementary Schools. Pick up times are from 3:30 pm until 5 pm, or until meals last. The meal packages will include five meals. More information is available on the School City of Hobart Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/schoolcityofhobart/.

Hammond - From June 1 to August 7, the School City of Hammond is offering free breakfast and lunches for anyone under the age of 18, children must be present at pickup. Meals can be picked up at several locations from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 am, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Edison Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Harding Elementary, Irving Elementary, Maywood Elementary, and Morton Elementary schools. Additional information is available here: https://www.hammond.k12.in.us/.

East Chicago - The School City of East Chicago is offering free breakfast and lunch to students at Block Jr. High School and East Chicago Central High School, Harrison, Lincoln, and McKinley. Breakfast will be available from Monday through Friday 10 am to 12 pm. You can find updates here: http://www.scec.k12.in.us

Gary - Continuing throughout the summer, Gary Community School Corporation is providing weekly meals in several locations every Monday, except for Memorial Day. Meals will be available for pickup on Tuesday, 5/26 on Memorial Day weekend. You can find each week's distribution locations on the corporation's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GaryCommunitySchools/. You can also find more information and the pickup locations at their website: www.garycsc.k12.in.us.

Lowell - Taken from the Tri-Creek School Corporation's Facebook page: "As a reminder, we will be using a new traffic pattern for meal kit pickups at Lowell High School. Meal kit pickups are available from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm for families that signed up via our online form. Below are the instructions for getting into the Entrance C lot at Lowell High School. Please note that we will be checking the online forms for registration as cars enter. Families that are not registered will be asked to exit the pickup line.

The Meal Kit Request Form for next Wednesday's pickup on 4/15 will be available starting Friday morning until Monday at 7:00pm at https://www.tricreek.k12.in.us/MealKit"

Crown Point: Meal services have been extended through June 30. Breakfast and lunch can be picked by qualified free/reduced lunch students Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at any of these school locations: Crown Point High School, Jerry Ross Elementary School, MacArthur Elementary School, or Timothy Ball Elementary School. More information can be found at: https://www.cps.k12.in.us/crownpoint

Merrillville - Starting June 1, Merrillville Community Schools will be offering summer free meal pickups on Mondays and Thursdays through May 1 at several local schools and churches. On Monday, the meal packages will include breakfast and lunch for three days and Thursday's meal packages will include breakfast and lunch for four days. More information can be found here: https://www.mvsc.k12.in.us/userfiles/1041/my%20files/new%20student%20meals%20flyer5-18.pdf?id=2985

Times and locations are as follows:

Porter County

Portage - The Portage Township School Corporation will be continuing meal packages throughout the summer. Pickup is on Monday at 11 am at door F at Portage High School West. More information is announced each week on the corporation's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/portagetownshipschools/

The school corporation has also partnered with the Portage Township Trustee Food Pantry and the Portage YMCA to provide meals to families in need. For more information, visit the Trustee website https://www.portagetrustee.org/ or the YMCA's website http://www.ymcaofportage.org/.

Valparaiso - Free meals will continue to be provided for students throughout the summer until July 24 (no pickup on July 4). The meals will be available for pickup on a weekly basis each Friday. Ten meals will be provided for the week (five breakfasts and five lunches).

Meal packages can be picked up in the parking lot between TJ Middle School and TJ Elementary School between 11 am and 12:30 pm each Friday. The student must be present at the time of pickup.

Weekend backpack meals are available and will be distributed through the school social workers.

More information on the meals and other school news can be found on the VCS website.

Chesterton - Duneland Shoool Corporation will be continuing to offer meals for students throughout the summer until July 31. Pickups will be available Monday through Thursday between 11:00 am and 12:30 pm at the Chesterton High School. Vehicles will enter the CHS parking area through the entrance by the CHS Football Stadium. Follow signs to the distribution area and pull up to the curb for meal pick-up. Exit onto 1050 North.

More information can be found on the Duneland School Corporation’s website: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/domain/400

La Porte County

The Center Township Trustees Office has compiled a comprehensive list of food pantries, school meal giveaway times and locations, and other resources. For the most up-to-date information, visit: https://centertownshiplaporte.com/?fbclid=IwAR16jsO0QX0UeHQfgd1AaTWx149kh0fkvjEHS6Qt1UxlSeKwDNR46wiXMps

Michigan City - Taken from the Michigan City Area Schools Facebook page: The Michigan City Area Schools Food Service Department has announced plans for its summer feeding program.

Meals for any child age 18 and under will be available for pick up at Barker, Krueger, and Michigan City High School each Friday in June, from 3-5pm. Please note that these pick-up locations have changed -- there will no longer be meals available at Elston or Knapp, but there WILL be meals at Michigan City High School.

A supply of 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches will be provided for each child at this grab-and-go "curbside" service. There is no charge for these meals.

Neighborhood deliveries of meals will continue in some areas. If a bus will be serving your area, you will receive a separate call and email next week with specific times and locations. All others should plan to come to Barker, Krueger or Michigan City High School on Fridays in June, from 3-5pm.

And finally, just a reminder that there will be no meal service next week due to the Memorial Day Holiday. The summer food pickup begins Friday, June 5.

If you have any questions, please call (219) 873-2131.

More information and updates can be found here: http://educateMC.net/corona

La Porte - La Porte Community schools will be offering lunches from June 1 to June 25. Meals can be picked up from the locations listed below Monday through Thursday between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm.