UPDATE Thursday, March 19

Pick up times for meals will be 7-9 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays in the front drive at Rhinelander High School. Families are requested to stay in their vehicles and food service employees will bring the food to the car. Families who have signed up for the backpack program will receive additional food on Thursdays.

By Eileen Persike
Editor

When talk of school closings due to the Coronavirus surfaced last week, one universal concern was for the children who depend on eating breakfast and lunch at school. The School District of Rhinelander (SDR) food service has addressed that concern with a plan only days after the closure became a reality in Wisconsin.

SDR Food Service Director Pat Karaba submitted a plan for feeding Rhinelander’s children to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Monday. The district’s director of learning supports explained to the board of education Monday night that the plan is to follow the way food is distributed during the summer.

“It will be a second summer school contract with the state which means that we don’t have to distribute food for free only to those students who qualify for free and reduced meals, but we’ll be able to deliver that to anyone in our community age 18 or under,” Peterson said.

Assuming the DPI approves the plan, Rhinelander High School (RHS) will be the drive-up style distribution center. Bags would be packed with food, available for pick up a couple of days a week, during set hours which are still to be determined. Anyone who wants to get the food will be able to do so, regardless of income.

The Rhinelander Area Food Pantry will provide extra food supplies each Thursday while school is closed at RHS for families that have participated in the backpack program.

Details including exact days and times will be forthcoming on the district’s website.