Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS) will continue serving the health and wellness of its students over the summer months through the Summer Food Service Program, which begins Monday, June 13.
From Monday, June 13, 2022, through Friday, August 12, 2022, the HCPS Child Nutrition Department will operate 19 open sites, consisting of the 17 stops along two “Meals On the Bus” routes and two drive-up sites at Apple Valley Middle and Glenn C. Marlow Elementary. Lunch meals will be available to children ages 2-18 at no cost to families Mondays through Fridays on the following schedules:
| Public Summer Feeding Locations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Location: | Times: | Dates: |
| Apple Valley Middle (drive-up) | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Weekdays, June 13 – Aug. 12* |
| Glenn C. Marlow Elementary (drive-up) | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Weekdays, June 13 – Aug. 12* |
| >MOB Route 1< Dermid Circle Oklawaha Village Lincoln Circle Walnut Tree Circle Otter Trail Lane King Creek King Edward Lane/Case Street Dodd Meadows Shorty Collins |
(mobile locations) 10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. 11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. 11:40 a.m. – 11:55 a.m. 12:05 p.m. – 12:20 p.m. 12:35 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. 12:55 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 1:35 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. |
Weekdays, June 13 – Aug. 12* |
| >MOB Route 2< Old Holbert Road/Craigs Cove Lane Regency Loop Cedar Terrace Apartments Cedar Bluff Apartments Sugarloaf Apartments Conner Creek Mobile Park Ida Rodgers Bearwallow Trailer Park |
(mobile locations) 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. 11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. 11:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. 12:10 p.m. – 12:25 p.m. 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. 12:50 p.m. – 1:05 p.m. 1:15 p.m. – 1:35 p.m. 1:40 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. |
Weekdays, June 13 – Aug. 12* |
HCPS’ Child Nutrition Department annually participates in the USDA-funded, state-administered Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and this year will be providing free meals to children at a total of 45 closed and open feeding sites.
“Closed sites” include various partner organizations serving children over the summer months that require registration and enrollment for their services, such as the Boys & Girls Club, The Salvation Army of Hendersonville, and WNCSource early childhood centers. All 23 HCPS schools are also considered closed sites, since meals will be provided specifically to students participating in summer learning at their schools. Open sites along the “Meals On the Bus” routes and at Apple Valley Middle are open to the public, where any child age 2-18 may receive lunch meals during the designated times June 13-August 12.
As in pre-pandemic years, these state-administered SFSP meals must be served to eligible children, in a congregate setting, and consumed by individuals on site, per federal regulations.
During the height of the pandemic, Child Nutrition COVID-19 waivers issued by the USDA allowed changes to these typical SFSP operations, to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to COVID-19. These included waivers to allow “non-congregate feeding,” provide flexibility to meal time requirements, and to allow parents and guardians to pick up meals on behalf of their children.
With the expiration of these waivers, the district’s SFSP and “Meals On the Bus” operations must follow the traditional federal regulations, requiring meals to be distributed to eligible children and eaten on the “Meals On the Bus” mobile feeding site retrofitted with benches and tabletops. Federal regulations and food safety standards also determine the length of the “Meals On the Bus” stops, which are annually reviewed and planned by the Child Nutrition Department in cooperation with the Transportation Department.
Families with questions may contact the HCPS Child Nutrition Department at 828-891-6310. During the summer, North Carolina families can also text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 to find summer meal open sites for children closest to their location.
*Sites will be closed and the “Meals On the Bus” routes will not be operating on July 4, when the district is closed in observance of the Independence Day holiday.
