CUSD has served 61,061 meals since school closures due to COVID-19

Capistrano Unified continues to provide thousands of meals to children in the area every weekday while schools are closed due to COVID-19.

CUSD has now served a total of 61,061 meals since schools moved to distance learning in March.

The protocols have changed in the last week as Capistrano Unified and the California Department of Education considered safer requirements to protect parents, children and school staff. CUSD is providing thousands of meals each week, and already has served 14,908 meals this week, with still another day left.

Meal service procedures at Capistrano Unified were changed in the last week after Food & Nutrition Services worked with a District nurse on the safest method to exchange meals. They found the best method is to place meals on a cart for families to pick up whether they drive or walk through.

The new practice allows for vehicles to wait in line (while everyone stays in their cars) and as vehicles approach the curb, parents will indicate how many meals they need with their fingers. Staff will then place meals on a cart, which is next to the curb alongside the vehicle.

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Capistrano Unified staff will move 6 feet away from the cart and let the parent know when they can get out of the vehicle to pick up their meals. Families can do their best by maintaining a 6-foot social distance and not touch the cart. If they do touch the cart, staff will pause meal service to sanitize the cart.

In addition, the USDA and California Department of Education recently updated the requirement that children should be present to receive meals. CUSD schools are now authorized to provide meals when a child is not present, but parents must be able to provide documentation the child attends school in the Capistrano Unified School District.

Adults can provide documentation using the following:

Official letter/email from school showing enrolled child
Individual report card
Attendance record from Parent Portal
Student ID card
Birth certificate for child not in school

When going through the drive through, adults can hold documentation up to the window or, if in the walk through, place documentation on the cart for review.

“The safety of our families and staff are so important right now,” said Shannon Illingworth. “We appreciate families doing their part so we can continue to do ours.”

Meals are served between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This service takes place in the parking lot or bus lane at these participating schools: