EPISD to offer free meals for all children starting Monday
(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT -- Sept. 18, 2020) — New rules from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will allow the El Paso Independent School District to provide free breakfast and lunch to children ages 1 to 18 starting on Monday, Sept. 21, regardless of their enrollment status or residence in the District.
The new rules also mean that parents with children enrolled in different campuses may now pick up meals at one location instead of traveling to each of the schools in which they’re enrolled.
“We are thankful to the USDA for allowing us to continue to provide healthful meals to any child who may need it,” said Laura Duran, EPISD’s Director of Nutrition Services. “The new rules make our breakfast and lunch services available to thousands of additional students, and it makes the pick-up of take-home meals much more convenient for our busy parents.”
Every EPISD school will have curbside distribution of breakfast and hot lunch meals from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday. Please note that curbside schedule may change once in-person instruction begins, although drive-through service will continue for students who are learning virtually.
Meals will be provided for any child ages 1 to 18, and the child need not be a student in EPISD. Children need not be present to receive the meals, however, parents or guardians must present one of the following documents for verification:
- Official document from any school to demonstrate enrollment.
- Report card
- Birth certificate
- Student ID card
Parents who pick up meals for their children will be given a verification card at a campus and they will be required to pick up all meals at that campus from then on.
Meals for Saturdays and Sundays will be distributed every Friday starting Oct. 2. No meals will be distributed during intersession, holidays or the Thanksgiving Break.
The free meal program will be extended to all EPISD students who attend in-person instruction starting Oct. 1. Students on campus will receive free breakfast and lunch either in the classroom or as a grab-and-go option.
To view updated menus, visit the EPISD Food Services website at https://www.episd.org/Page/7060.
The new USDA allowances will be in place until the end of the fall semester in December. EPISD already has begun the process to seek the extension of the free meal program to the spring semester.
“It is our goal to provide nutritious meals to as many children as possible during these difficult times,” Duran said. “We know the challenges in learning are even more present right because of the pandemic, and we want to eliminate any concern about food that may exist among our families.”
EPISD meal distribution sites are:
- Andress High, 5400 Sun Valley
- Aoy Elementary, 901 S. Campbell
- Armendariz Middle, 2231 Arizona
- Austin High School, 3500 Memphis
- Barron Elementary, 11155 Whitey Ford
- Bassett Middle, 4400 Elm
- Bowie High, 801 S. San Marcial
- Brown Middle, 7820 Helen of Troy
- Canyon Hills Middle, 8930 Eclipse
- Chapin High, 7000 Dyer
- Charles Middle, 4909 Trojan
- Clardy Elementary, 5508 Delta
- Coldwell Elementary, 4101 Altura
- Cooley Elementary, 107 N. Collingsworth
- Crockett Elementary, 3200 Wheeling
- Crosby Elementary, 5411 Wren
- El Paso High, 800 E. Schuster
- Fannin Elementary, 5425 Salem
- Franklin High, 900 N. Resler
- Green Elementary, 5430 Buckley
- Guerrero Elementary, 7530 Lakehurst
- Guillen Middle, 900 S. Cotton
- Hawkins Elementary, 5816 Stephenson
- Henderson Middle, 5505 Robert Alva
- Herrera Elementary, 350 Coates
- Hillside Elementary, 4500 Clifton
- Kohlberg Elementary, 1445 Nardo Goodman
- Sunrise Mountain Elementary, 7710 Pandora
- MacArthur Elementary, 8101 Whitus
- Magoffin Elementary, 4931 Hercules
- Mesita ECDC, 220 Lawton
- Morehead Middle, 5625 Confetti
- Moreno Elementary, 2300 San Diego
- Moye Elementary, 4825 Alps
- Nixon Elementary, 11141 Loma Roja
- Park Elementary, 3601 Edgar Park
- Powell Elementary, 4750 Ellerthorpe
- Putnam Elementary, 6508 Fiesta
- Rivera Elementary, 6445 Escondido
- Roberts Elementary, 341 Thorn
- Ross Middle, 6101 Hughey
- Rusk Elementary, 3601 N. Copia
- Stanton Elementary, 5414 Hondo Pass
- Terrace Hills Middle, 4835 Blossom
- Tom Lea Elementary, 4851Marcus Uribe
- Travis Elementary, 5000 N. Stevens
- Whitaker Elementary, 4700 Rutherford
- Wiggs Middle, 1300 Circle
- Zach White Elementary, 4256 Roxbury
Graphic by Martín A. López