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Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS) food service employees were working hard Thursday afternoon, March 19, distributing free bagged breakfasts and lunches to children during a two week school closure prompted by the novel coronavirus. 

School officials announced earlier in the week that the school system would be providing bagged meals to students during the closure by utilizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Food Service Program. 

PECPS began its meal distribution Wed., March 18, and will continue to do so each weekday through Friday, March 27. 

At the Prince Edward Middle School bus loop location meals were being served “drive-thru style” to children ages 18 and lower with an adult present. Children have to be in the car during the pickup per USDA regulation. 

Supervisor of Food Service Bruce Davis said 230 students were served on the first day of the distribution. Children who stop by receive both a breakfast and lunch bag. Davis said the two meals would give students the ability to have lunch the day of pickup and breakfast the day after. 

Bagged lunches on Thursday included a sandwich, one snack, fruit, vegetables and milk. The breakfast bags contained cereal, a breakfast pastry, fruit, juice and milk. 

Davis added that many community members had come forward to ask if volunteers were needed at the food distribution sites. He said that while the school system’s food service employees were thus far able to handle the work, the school would reach out if extra hands were needed for upcoming distributions. 

Workers from other sites across the county arrived at the middle school cafeteria to obtain their bagged lunches to distribute. The meals were then loaded into vehicles and driven to the other sites. 

Employees were all smiles as they prepared the food, helping to ensure children are able to have nutritious meals during the school’s closure. 

PECPS student meal pickup locations and times can be found below: 

Prince Edward County Middle School bus loop, located at 1603 Zion Hill Road in Farmville — 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Park View Gardens Community Center parking lot, located at 204 Parkview Drive in Farmville — 9-10 a.m.

Hampden-Sydney Volunteer Fire Department parking lot, located at 108 S. Boundary Road in Hampden Sydney — 10- 11 a.m.

Rice Volunteer Fire Department parking lot, located at 948 Rices Depot Road in Rice — 10-11 a.m.

Meherrin Volunteer Fire Department parking lot, located at 102 Moores Ordinary Road in Meherrin — 9-10:30 a.m.

Prospect Volunteer Fire Department parking lot, located at 45 Campbell Hill Road in Prospect — 9-10:30 a.m.

Anyone with questions may call the middle school cafeteria at (434) 315-6111.