CPS to Resume Meal Distribution Tomorrow

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, June 1, 2020

CHICAGO - Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2, meal distribution will resume at more than 300 school sites following a temporary one-day suspension of grab-and-go meal sites due to the transportation and safety challenges that were anticipated on Monday for families and staff. Also, to help students, educators and parents navigate discussions around the weekend’s events and more importantly, the systemic racial inequities that spurred action in Chicago and throughout the country, CPS is providing an instructional toolkit today to families and staff.

“We know our meal sites serve as a critical community resource and we are ready to resume this essential service for our families tomorrow following an assessment of ongoing activities,” said CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson. “We support and stand with Chicagoans who are forcefully, yet peacefully, advocating for the rights of black and brown people. We created a package of resources for families to navigate these difficult times and we hope this leads to critical conversations in households and virtual classrooms across Chicago.”

The district initiated a one-day temporary suspension of grab-and-go meal distribution due to potential transportation and safety challenges for families and staff. During the one-day suspension, CPS delivered meals to families as previously planned and scheduled. Beginning tomorrow, there will be additional support from CPD in the vicinity of meal distribution sites to ensure families can pick up meals in a safe and welcoming environment.

Since the final day of in-person instruction, dedicated CPS principals and nutrition staff have ensured families are fed and supported. More than 13 million free meals have been provided to school staff and more than 125,000 computing devices were distributed to support remote learning.

Helping CPS Students Navigate Conversations on Race, Equity and the Events of the Weekend

Chicago Public Schools views equity and justice as moral imperatives, and we are committed to supporting all of our students as they navigate difficult and critically important conversations about race and equity. The district also created resources for students, educators, and families on how to navigate these conversations; a link to these resources can be found here.

Family Resources:

Grab-and-go Meal Sites: Following the one-day pause, CPS will resume providing free grab-and-go meals for all students tomorrow, June 2, 2020, pending any significant developments. For the current list of active meal sites, please visit cps.edu/mealsites. At the May Board Meeting, the district announced that it would be providing its current expanded grab-and-go meals structure throughout the summer.

Family Support: If your family is in need of assistance during this challenging time, please contact the CPS Command Center, which can help connect you to vital support services. The Command Center can be reached at 773-553-KIDS (5437) or familyservices@cps.edu.

CPS.edu/coronavirus: CPS.edu/coronavirus is a one-stop-shop for key contacts, meals information, the latest updates regarding end-of-year guidance and remote learning.

Chicago Public Schools serves 355,000 students in 642 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.

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