How to access free meals for Muskegon County students during school closings

School districts throughout Muskegon County are finalizing plans to provide free grab-n-go meals to all students—public, private and charter—during the mandated three-week closure of all K-12 school buildings in Michigan, the districts announced today.

The meals, some of which will be provided through delivery and others through pick-up, depending on the district, will be available to any student age 18 and under. Students with disabilities who have an active Individual Education Program (IEP) can access the meals up to the age of 26. The frequency of the meal deliveries and pick-ups will also depend on the district. You can see all of the information about each of the districts below.

Students do not need to attend a district in order to access the meals; private and charter school students can pick up the food in the district in which they live.

The meals will consist of cold items like deli sandwiches and wraps, fresh fruit and vegetables, yogurt cups, string cheese, cereal, muffins, and milk, according to a press release from the districts.

Following is a list of meal information from the school districts in Muskegon County: 

Fruitport Community Schools will provide weekly meal service starting tomorrow, March 17. The district has posted information to their website at www.fruitportschools.net and to their Facebook site. A full breakdown of the pick-up times and locations can be found by clicking here. The district is asking all parents to complete a survey on their website to help them better meet needs; click here to do so.

Hart Public Schools will provide free meals for children through Wednesday, March 18. Pick-ups are scheduled each day at 12pm at Crystal Valley Pour House, located at 7203 N 126th Avenue in Hart; Fenton Trucking, located at 5655 W 5th Street in Mears; and Spitler Elementary, located at 302 Johnson St. For more information, click here or email Caryn Elam at celam@hart.k12.mi.us.

Holton Public Schools will work closely with Hand-to-Hand community partners to provide weekly meal service. See www.holtonschools.com and their Facebook site for details.

Mona Shores Public Schools will provide meals for all students at its high school stadium parking lot from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays through the end of the closure. They will offer an additional pickup time from 5:00pm to  6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The Norton Shores Police Department will be assisting with deliveries. Click here for more information.

Montague Area Public Schools will offer meals through curbside pickup at Montague High School and the Rothbury Village Hall at 7804 S. Michigan Avenue in Rothbury on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to noon. A mobile route has also been set up for delivery to three additional sites. Click here for more details.

Muskegon Public Schools will deliver meals along school bus routes through the end of the closure. The plan is to follow the usual bus routes and to add stops for students who typically walk to school. The deliveries will run once per day, but the drop-off will be the equivalent of two meals, as well as needed school supplies and worksheets. The schedule can be found on the Muskegon Public Schools Facebook page and on their website at muskegon public schools.org.

Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System will provide meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays throughout the closure. Two days of meals will be delivered on Mondays and Wednesdays. On Fridays, that will increase to three days of meals for the weekend. All pickups will be at the district’s 42 bus stops, with the exception of door-to-door service for students with special needs. The full schedule can be found by clicking here.

North Muskegon Public Schools: Students may access nearby districts for grab-n-go meals. For more information, click here.

Oakridge Public Schools: Food service is expected to begin Wednesday, March 18 and will last throughout the closure. Locations will be posted to the Oakridge Public Schools Facebook page. Six locations and times will soon be announced on the Facebook page.

Orchard View Schools will deliver food throughout the district for family pickup beginning Tuesday, March 17. For times and locations, please click here.

Ravenna Public Schools will offer meal distribution through the end of the closure. For more information, please click here. 

Reeths-Puffer Schools will provide a week’s worth of cold meals for pickup at the high school every Wednesday beginning on March 18. Pick-ups will take place according to student last names. Those starting with A-N will pick up between 9 and 10 a.m., and O-Z names will pick up between 11:00 a.m. to noon. Additional pick-ups may take place between noon and 1:00 p.m. See more details by clicking here.

Shelby Public Schools is offering five different locations for meal pick up. See their Facebook site for information and who to contact for delivery.  

Three Oaks Public School Academy will deliver meals to students’ morning bus stops on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, please click here.

Walkerville Public Schools will begin providing meals on Tuesday, March 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Main Street delivery entrance daily. Contact the school’s main office to request delivery or send a private message through Facebook. 

Whitehall District Schools will offer meals on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Whitehall Middle School, and at the Lakewood Club Village Hall from 10:00 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Fridays. For full details, please click here.