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The Escambia County School System announced today that it will provide free meals for children 18 years and under beginning March 30 and on during the school closure due to COVID-19.

The meals are for all children, not those enrolled in an ECSS school, Superintendent John Knott said.

According to the ECSS’s Facebook page, children can receive meals at the following locations: Escambia County Middle School (11 a.m. until 1 p.m. or until all food is distributed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday); Flomaton Elementary School (11 a.m. until 1 p.m. or until all food is distributed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday); and W.S. Neal High School (11 a.m. until 1 p.m. or until all food is distributed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

Additionally, because of Holy Week next week, Friday’s meals will be available on Thurs., April 9.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided to take home.

Children will receve two breakfasts and two lunches Monday and Wednesday, and one breakfast and one lunch on Friday.

The meals are available via curbside pick up.

Knott said the children who are to receive the meals need to be in the vehicle with their parent or guardian.

The meals are provided through the Seamless Summer Meals program from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Escambia County School District’s Food Service Department is planning to begin providing supplemental school meals from March 23-27, 2020, at the following locations.

• Bratt Elementary School, Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High School

**Children 18 and under MUST BE PRESENT in the car to receive meals.
**Children do not have to be students at Bratt Elementary….all children 18 and under qualify.

Meals will be available for kids 18 and under next week – please notice the arrows showing you where to go once you get to the school. This is meant to be like a drive–thru. Each child and teenager in your car – up to age 18 will get breakfast and lunch to take home! If it isn’t consumed pretty soon, it should go in the fridge!

Bratt Elementary School, 5721 North Hwy. 99, Century, FL

According to the USDA’s policy, the child or children must be present to receive meals. They must be 18 and younger; and meals are designed to be carried away and consumed off campus (cafeteria/dining rooms will not be open).

Each child will receive breakfast and lunch in the same visit and service will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Children do not have to be a student at that school in order to pick up meals there.

Breakfast and lunch will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Meals will be distributed in a curbside pick-up operation. Food items will be in to-go containers and will consist of ready-to-eat food items that should be consumed when received or should be quickly refrigerated for consumption at a later time.  Meals are available for children and teens ages 18 and under.

If meals continue to be required after March 27, sites may be adjusted based on need and participation.

For information about Escambia County’s public schools go to: https://ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/ Like ECSD on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ecsdfl.

Go to the Escambia Schools Public Relations page on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ecsd.public to see video and photos of other recent events.