Published in the July 7, 2020 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — Since Massachusetts schools closed due to the coronavirus in mid-March, the Wakefield Public Schools have quietly provided over 10,000 free meals to families with children under age 21, and that program will continue through August.

According Wakefield Schools Food Service Director Danielle Collins, anyone under age 21 is welcome to participate in the program. Every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, families can pull up to the loading dock at Wakefield Memorial High School at 60 Farm St. and receive one week’s worth of food for eligible children.

Collins stressed that the program allows for anyone under 21 to participate, no questions asked. She noted that many children who may have qualified for free or reduced meal prices do not currently have access to that benefit because traditional school operations have been interrupted due to COVID-19. Many other families that have never qualified for benefits now find themselves either with a parent that has lost a job or experienced reduced wages or illness that has created a need.

“Families who are facing these challenges didn’t have the opportunity to apply to our program and this would reduce the burden of having to do so,” Collins said. “I can assure you, we have families in need hiding in plain sight.”

On March 9, 2020, the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) began approving waivers enabling Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option sponsors to serve meals in a non-congregate setting and at school sites during school closures related to the coronavirus.

“Massachusetts filed a waiver with the USDA to allow funding for this Seamless Summer model,” Collins explained. “That means that we are receiving reimbursement from the USDA, and a bit from the state, for this program.”

Collins also talked about another food and nutrition program currently being offered by the Wakefield Public Schools.

Farmers to Families Fresh is an initiative, also through the USDA, that allows nutrition programs to gain access to what farmers would be forced to throw away because their normal customer has been displaced.

“The markets for many farmers, such as restaurants and schools, have not been conducting normal business. This gives a market to those farmers and helps support our programs. Each week we provide 20-pound boxes filled with a nice variety of fresh fruits and vegetables such as cantaloupe, Asian pears, romaine lettuce, onions, apples oranges, and carrots to our families.”

On June 23, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed more than 20 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over the past few weeks, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program has continued to pick up steam, getting food in the hands of more and more Americans while providing much needed support to our agricultural sector,” said Secretary Perdue. “This milestone is a testament that the program is accomplishing what we intended – supporting U.S. farmers and distributors and getting food to those who need it most. It’s a real trifecta, which is why we call it a win-win-win.”

Collins stressed that everyone is welcome and parents do not have to sign up for these food programs, which will continue throughout the summer. They can just come to the high school on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 12 noon. She said that the Food Service Department does like to connect with families just so they can be aware of any food allergies or other concerns.

“Just let us know how many kids you have in your family and you will be given a week’s worth of meals for those kids,” Collins said.

Danielle Collins started as Food Service Director for the Wakefield Public Schools in October of 2019. She was the School Nutrition Director in Methuen and Chelmsford before coming here. She also serves as Treasurer for the School Nutrition Association of Massachusetts, a non-profit organization where she has been volunteering for about 10 years.