After shutting down schools until a tentative date of April 6 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, District 203 and local businesses are expanding food service to students in need. Though the shutdown acts as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, students on free and reduced price lunch may lose access to meals that they previously ate at school.

According to Executive Director of Communications Sinikka Mondini, Aramark, the district’s food service provider, is packaging grab-and-go meals that will be available at three locations on Monday, March 16 between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. Families may pick up meals at the front loop in the front of Naperville Central High School, the bus lane on the side of Jefferson Junior High School or the front lane in front of Scott Elementary School, but “typical payment procedures will apply,” per the district’s website. 

“Moving forward, our goal is to have multiple days’ worth of meals available for pick up,” Mondini wrote in an email. 

Others have also sprung into action. 

In an Instagram post, Naperville businessman Mark Cabrera wrote, “To anyone in Aurora/Naperville… if the recent closure of schools cause you and/or people you know to have a hard time feeding your children for breakfast or lunch… please message me. I own/operate the Chick-fil-A Fox Valley Center on 59 in Aurora and I would be happy to help.”