BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — East Central ISD is making sure no kid goes home hungry. There's a new pilot program at the school district that is serving students a meal before they go home for the day.
Meredith Rokas is the Director of Purchasing and Child Nutrition at East Central ISD. She said the pilot program is called the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
"East Central ISD is a high economically disadvantaged district, currently about 80 percent," she said.
The school district serves the southeastern portion of Bexar County. As for the program, it gives students a hot or cold meal before school lets out for the day.
"It is our dinner," Rokas said. "It is our supper program. It is not a snack anymore for these campuses."
She said years before, the school district would give out a snack at the end of the day, but this takes it a step further. Rokas explained the importance of having this program.
"We are a district that doesn't have one HEB built within our geographical zone," she said. "We realize our students other than fast food joints here and there as well as some restaurants, we are a food desert."
The meals are packed by staff at the school. Specifically at Sinclair Elementary, the staff will place the meals in a cart outside the classroom. The teachers will then bring in the meal after the last assignment of the day.
Fourth-grade teacher Nathan Cruz at Sinclair said the students express excitement, and also addressed the benefits of this program.
"A lot of the parents work double shifts, a lot of them work nights," he said. "We don't know what our kiddos are going home to. And this is just another stepping stone that we can take to ensure that our kids are being fed."
Rokas said this has been adjustment for the school district, but one they are proud of. She credits the team work and said takes a village.
"This is going to have a huge impact on our district for years to come, if we can continue to do it right," she said.
Currently, dinner is being served Monday-through-Friday at the majority of its elementary schools. Rokas said the goal by January is to have this program at all of its campuses. The program is on top of East Central ISD already providing all its students free breakfast and lunch.