Unfortunately, many children in Michigan rely on our public schools to feed them and during this time of the entire states K - 12 school closures for the next month parents are wondering where they can get those free lunches.

Due to the mandatory school closing the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a waiver from the Michigan Department of Education on Friday, March 13 which will allow school lunches to be distributed without the requirement that students eat meals in a group setting or at school.

Starting throughout the week schools can now give free meals to school-aged children at designated pickup locations or school bus stops. Not all school districts have announced or finalized their food distribution plans and for now, are asking families to keep in contact with their local school district leaders and watch for more updates on their local school district websites.

MLive has put together a great list of where to find these free meals.  In the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Area they are:

Kalamazoo and Battle Creek area schools:

  • Kalamazoo Public Schools organized meal pickup sites at 20 schools and four community sites. A week’s worth of breakfast and lunch will be distributed to students over three days each week, starting Monday, March 16. Students will receive two days of meals on Mondays and Wednesdays and three days of meals on Fridays.
  • Portage Public Schools has set up two sites for daily meal pickup starting noon on Tuesday, March 17. A sack lunch for that day and a sack breakfast for the next day will be provided from noon to 1 p.m. daily at Milham Meadows at the Laundry / Playground Pavilion and the Portage Community Education Center parking lot. Weekend meals can be picked up on Fridays, according to the Portage Public Schools Facebook page.
  • Vicksburg Community Schools will serve meals from 4 - 6 p.m. Wednesdays at Vicksburg High School or elementary school bus stop locations starting on March 18. The Transportation Department will begin their regular elementary bus routes for meal delivery at 3:45 p.m. on those days.
  • Gull Lake Community Schools plans to launch a food program starting Tuesday, March 17. More information on times and locations will be shared on Monday, March 16.
  • Meal pickup for Plainwell Community Schools will start Tuesday, March 17. School officials said food will be available for all students at various locations Monday through Friday. Weekend bundles will also be available. Times and locations will be sent out on Monday, March 16.
  • Allegan Public Schools announced it is hosting a donation food drive in the high school lobby 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 and Thursday, March 19. The school has not announced a meal pickup plan.
  • Comstock Schools will be handing out free meals starting on Tuesday, March 17. Four sites will be operating from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • Battle Creek Public Schools will have meal pickup sites at all seven elementary buildings starting Tuesday, March 17. Meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the exception of the first week.

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