Carole Kitchens, a food service manager for Hammond School Corporation, says she knows her job is an important part of the education process. 

“I am the fuel that gives these kids the brain power to learn,” she said. “If they’re not fed a breakfast, if they’re not fed a lunch, how are they going to learn?” 

That question is one that families around the country have been faced with since public schools were forced to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. For many parents, public school lunch programs are the only way they can afford to feed their children – especially in areas like Hammond. 

“School corporations like Hammond are urban, and they have a high poverty rate,” said Daniel Friel, an attorney for Hammond School Corporation. “Many of the students receive their breakfast and lunch through free and reduced lunch at the schools and the concern was that if we had the students stay home that they wouldn’t be getting the nutrition that they need.” 

When the school corporation decided to shut down their schools in early March, they quickly realized they were going to have to find a way to continue to distribute meals to students on free and reduced lunch – but that wasn’t going to be easy. At first, the school corporation wasn’t sure that they could continue to pay food service workers if they could no longer come in to work. 

“We were going to have support personnel come in because we felt we needed them to have them come in in order for them to continue to get paid,” said Friel. “However, guidance did come from the Indiana School Board Association, and the governor issued his state of emergency and stay at home order, so it became apparent that sending in support staff was counterproductive to what the governor was trying to accomplish in slowing the spread of the coronavirus.” 

Only a limited amount of food service workers are still reporting to work to distribute meals – the vast majority are staying home. But for now, Hammond School Corporation is still receiving it’s regular amount of funding and is able to pay its employees although they are unable to work. Some food service workers are even receiving time and a half pay for coming in to prepare meals for the students on free and reduced lunches. 

Now, food service workers like Carole come in on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to provide food for the students that will last them through the week. They serve anywhere from 500 to 1,000 meals in a single day – and the gratitude of the recipients is clear to see. 

“They ask us how we’re doing, give us little gifts, the kids serenade us, wave at us, say ‘Hi, we miss you,’” said Kitchens. “So we know we’re doing a good thing and that it’s very much appreciated.”

Kitchens says she looks forward to seeing the students and their families during this time of isolation, and it’s clear the feeling is mutual.