FUESD free meals helped out with thousands in grants

The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District received donations and grants to support its work providing free meals to Fallbrook children during the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of previous school year and during the summer.

Thousands of dollars in donations and grants helped pay for the free meals, including a $5,000 donation from T-Mobile, a $7,500 donation from the San Diego Hunger Coalition and Hunger Free Kids COVID-19 Response Team, three grants totaling $9,000 from GenYOUth and a $17,064 grant from No Kid Hungry, according to Amy Haessley, director of child nutrition for FUESD.

“The support of our community partners has been amazing,” Haessly said. “We’ve also been able to distribute 1,600 produce boxes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm to Family Program from June 3 to Aug. 5. Sunrise Produce Distributors delivered the produce boxes to us allowing us to distribute during meal service at Maie Ellis. The community participation with that program was fantastic.”

GenYOUth’s three grants provided $3,000 each to Maie Ellis Elementary School, La Paloma Elementary School and San Onofre School, Haessly said, and No Kid Hungry’s grant allowed the district to purchase five milk coolers.

FUESD provided free grab-and-go meals throughout the summer to any child who came to one of four locations – Maie Ellis, La Paloma and San Onofre, as well as Mary Fay Pendleton School.

Families were able to collect meals two days a week, receiving breakfast and lunch for two to four days “to ensure health, consistent meals for all children two to 18 years old Monday through Saturday,” according to the district.

Will Fritz can be reached by email at [email protected].