PB staff dish up over 6,000 meals a day

Poplar Bluff R-1 School District, Chartwells and the Boys and Girls Club of Butler County have stepped up to make sure children under the age of 18 are fed during this extended school break.

“In the kindergarten center, we serve 2,400 meals a day, 800 breakfast, 800 lunch and 800 dinner,” said Dixie Harden, Poplar Bluff schools food service director. “At the other facilities, total districtwide, we serve about 6,100 meals per day.

“The Poplar Bluff School District free and reduced rate is 76%.

“We have a lot of children that are missing meals with school being out. We want to make sure that those children have breakfast lunch and dinner every day.”

Classes have been out since spring break started March 13. Officials have previously said they hope to return by the first Monday in May, but are continuing to follow the situation in the state.

Deliveries for the food program will not run Friday in observance of Good Friday.

Meals for Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be provided Thursday, along with that day’s meal, to students of the district.

Chartwells' Brooklyn Chappell (left) and Sylvia Keena prepare breakfast packages for students Tuesday morning at the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center.DAR/Paul Davis