The Cumberland County Board of Education reducing its summer meal program sites and transitioning to a once-weekly distribution schedule.
School Nutrition District Director Kathy Hamby said the district decision forced by unexpected staffing shortages. Several employees taking medical leave this summer and one long-term staff member relocating.
“We’re looking at consolidating sites because we decided we’d rather have one less site but be able to fully staff the other sites than to have multiple sites that’s not fully staffed,” Hamby said. “So that way we can make sure all the other sites are fully staffed and that way parents don’t have to wait as long.”
Hamby said the program is federally funded and serves all children 18 and under to help close the hunger gap in a county where over 50 percent of students are considered economically disadvantaged.
Hamby said the program is moving from a twice-weekly pickup to a single weekly pickup that provides seven days’ worth of meals. Hamby said this change helps the district manage its limited personnel while saving time and money.
“This year they’re able to get seven days in that one pickup and we’re hoping, I mean, that will help too,” Hamby said. “It helps with staffing, but it also helps parents, especially with gas prices being as high as they are, or as high as it is.”
Hamby said the Crab Orchard Church of God of Prophecy will not serve as a site this summer, though Crab Orchard School remains open for distribution. Hamby said Stone Elementary will only operate as a pickup location on June 3 and June 10 before closing for the remainder of the summer.
Hamby said families can find the most current list of distribution sites on the Cumberland County schools website or by calling the Board of Education.
Hamby said the department actually saw lower employee turnover and was more fully staffed during the regular school year than in previous years.
“This summer it just seems like it’s more based on so many staff, we have so many out on FMLA and then in and then I mean several that we did not expect and then I’ve even had another staff member that unexpectedly I mean, and it’s someone that’s been with us a while is moving,” Hamby said. “But so it’s more, it seems like it’s been more just medically based of the staff we have that’s just not able to work this summer.”