‘No V.I. Child Goes Hungry’ Initiative to Operate Territory-wide Beginning Sept. 7

“No V.I. Child Goes Hungry” meals (Submitted photo)

The Virgin Islands Department of Education’s “No V.I. Child Goes Hungry” feeding initiative will operate in both districts beginning Sept. 7 following the suspension of the program in the St. Thomas-St. John District on Aug. 23, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases among the district’s food service workers.

Workers in the St. Thomas-St. John and St. Croix districts have undergone COVID-19 testing and/or have been vaccinated. They have been provided additional training to ensure the feeding program can operate safely.

Parents and/or guardians are invited to pick up packaged breakfast and lunch meals at designated sites in or near their neighborhoods between 9-11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, while supplies last. Meals are not served on weekends or holidays. Students attending in-person classes beginning Sept. 7 will receive their meals at school. The Ricardo Richards distribution site on St. Croix has been closed due to low participation at that location.

Now in its third year, the initiative was launched in March 2020 and has served more than 1,071,897 meals to students attending the territory’s public, private and parochial schools since campuses closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“While our kitchen workers have undergone COVID-19 training this summer and multiple times last school year, with the emergence of the more-contagious and deadlier Delta variant, we are making every effort to further prepare workers to safely handle food and navigate the kitchen environment,” said Assistant Commissioner Victor Somme III, whose office spearheads the feeding initiative.

“Many Virgin Islands families depend on us to provide nutritious meals for their children, and we want to ensure our employees feel confident in practicing the required safety protocols while preparing those meals.”

ID is not required when picking up meals; however, masks are required to be worn and recipients are asked to remain in their vehicles for drive-through service.

Meal Distribution Sites 2021-2022 School Year

St. Croix Meal Distribution Sites

Juanita Gardine K-8 School

Lew Muckle Elementary School

Alfredo Andrews Elementary School

John H. Woodson Jr. High School

St. Croix Educational Complex High School

Eulalie R. Rivera K-8 School

Arthur A. Richards K-8 Modular Campus

Claude O. Markoe Elementary School

St. Thomas Meal Distribution Sites

Bordeaux (Near Bus Stop)

Michael Kirwin Terrace Community Center

Contant Knolls Community Center

Savan Basketball Court

Ulla F. Muller Elementary School

Paul M. Pearson Gardens Community Center

Oswald Harris Court Community Center

Winston Raymo Community Center

Joseph Sibilly Elementary School (Front Entrance)

Lovenlund Housing Development

Bovoni Methodist Church

Anna’s Retreat Basketball Court

Tutu Valley (Near Bus Stop)

Ezra Fredericks Ball Park

St. John Meal Distribution Sites

Julius E. Sprauve School

George Simmons Terrace

Bellevue Area

Calabash Boom

Coral Bay Fire Station

Pine Peace

Chocolate Hole