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Board hears about backpack and weekend food supports after concerns about students 'going hungry'
Summary
Board discussed weekend/backpack food boxes funded by grants and cooperatives; a board member said an external GoFundMe claim that students are hungry was 'offensive' and the superintendent offered to provide breakfast and lunch participation statistics for transparency.
Board members asked how often backpack and weekend food boxes are distributed and whether the district provides meal supports for students in need. Presenters said the items are distributed (often for weekends), CIS facilitators identify students who need support, and grant funds (including a back-pack grant) and cooperatives such as Omnia help supply food and snacks.
Board President Georgia West responded to reports and a GoFundMe page by saying the public suggestion that McDowell County students are going hungry was "kind of offensive" to staff and board members who see school feeding operations. Superintendent Ed Evans offered to provide meal-participation percentages to the board for federal-reimbursement transparency: "I will ask Mr. Lester to provide you with the percentage of breakfast and lunch participation," he said. The board did not alter program rules at the meeting but asked staff for participation data at the next session.
