MSD Wayne Township Schools working on food supply after meal shortage impacts families
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township was forced to turn some families away from picking up meals due to a food shortage Wednesday.
Superintendent Jeff Butts says he is closely working with the school district’s food distributors so that it won’t happen again.
“This is not an issue with a particular vendor. This is a nationwide issue as all schools now are trying to make adjustments on how they’re feeding their children and what processes they’re using, so it’s a supply-and-demand issue at the current time,” Butts said.
The school district is adding a fourth meal distribution site at Garden City Elementary School beginning April 6. These four sites will continue to provide meals three days a week from 10 a.m. to noon:
- Bridgeport Elementary – 9035 W. Morris St.
- Chapelwood Elementary – 1129 N. Girls School Rd
- Garden City Elementary – 4901 Rockville Rd
- Stout Field Elementary – 3820 W. Bradbury Ave.
News 8 has reached out to other school districts to see if they are facing food shortages. Representatives with the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township said they have not experienced a food shortage and Indianapolis Public Schools does not anticipate it happening soon.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township said it has changed a few orders due to some food being out of stock, as many school leaders are making sure students receive nutritious meals from food distributors.
“As long as we’re compliant with the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) School Lunch Program guidelines, as those are the guidelines we have received,” Wayne Township Superintendent Butts said. “It’s the reason why we’ve made a couple modifications making sure that we are accountable for each meal that goes out.”
Other Marion County school districts are figuring out how meals will be given now that schools have been ordered to stay closed for the rest of the academic year.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Department of Education asked all schools to follow social distancing guidelines with families.
“They (families) have pulled up and let us know how many meals they need, now that we’re not asking them to roll down their window, but, in fact, to let us know through their front windshield how many meals they need,” Butts said.