Valley school districts plan to continue meal services into the summer

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- When Valley schools closed their doors, not only did districts send students home with their studies; they needed to make sure meals made it too.

They wasted no time developing systems to get kids the foods they needed fast.

"It started in the beginning and it actually grew as we got further into it, I think people were getting laid off," said Robert Shram, director of campus catering at Clovis Unified.

Each district found ways to provide their kids with breakfast and lunch every day.

"In the beginning what was so great about it was it brought a sense of a normal routine for our kids," said Clovis Unified parent Melissa Ulam. "So that was part of their school day, they would distance learn with my husband then they'd stop get on their bikes and head to their school to pick up lunch."

Clovis Unified says they've been providing about 70,000 to 85,000 meals a week, even when switching delivery to a weekly format.

"We went to the once a week delivery that was intentionally done to reduce the risk of our employees in public that communication time," Shram said. "They weren't driving out every day, they could do it one day a week."

Fresno Unified has also seen a steady demand. At one point towards the end of April, they provided nearly 300,000 meals in a single week and ranged from 270,000 to 236,000 a week in May.

RELATED: Fresno Unified School District unveils plans for summer meal program

Both districts say they'll continue the service throughout the summer.