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Dallas ISD begins meal deliveries to make sure students in need are fed

The pilot program aims to reach families who aren't able to visit DISD's Grab-and-Go meal sites. Students get three meals for three days before the next delivery.

DALLAS — Monday, Dallas Independent School District made the first run of its effort to feed students who are housing insecure during the COVID-19 crisis.

By mid-afternoon, staffers were hard at work inside the Maria Luna Food Service Building. Boxes of food and cartons of milk were loaded on two buses, bound for students with housing insecurities.

Their first stop? The Budget Suites off Stemmons Freeway in Dallas.

"This hotel houses approximately 90 of our homeless education students," said Jaime Sandoval, who is the executive director of student advocacy and youth outreach for Dallas ISD.

"The meals that they get should last them three days. They get a breakfast, lunch and supper," he said. "We come back on Thursday [with] three more meals, ready to go."

The program is a partnership between the district's Homeless Education Program, Food and Child Nutrition Services and Student Transportation Services. It will expand to more hotels and motels Thursday, April 2.

As the district adds more stops, staff say it’ll also be bringing more things, like hygiene products and even new clothes, for kids that need them most.

The buses were a welcome sight for Almecia Ward and her 5th grade daughter Trea'jure.

"I don’t have to worry about thinking about where my food’s going to come from," Ward said. "It’s really a blessing that Dallas ISD came through."

"It makes me feel good because it shows that they care about us," said Trea'jure.

For more on DISD's meal services, click here.

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