Hundreds Of Kids Receive Drive-Thru Meals At Schools, Public Libraries. Here’s Where To Get Food.

March 24, 2020

One by one they came as schools and libraries across Escambia County turned into drive-thrus Monday to feed kids during the pandemic.

There were 110 children served at Bratt Elementary School and 214 at Bellview Elementary. All total, 712 kids received meals curbside at five schools. The school district will ramp up efforts next week, expanding Monday-Friday feeding to 33 additional schools that will be announced on Thursday.

“We had a great first day of feeding kids,” said Jaleena Davis, Escambia County School District Food Services director.

A few hundred additional children receive meals at five West Florida Library locations on Monday through at partnership with Feeding the Gulf Coast.

Free meals are available at sites across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties this week for youth under 18. Children must be present to receive meals, which will be distributed curbside at locations listed under the photo below.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Town of Century

The Town of Century will have  “grab and go” food available for school age children and senior citizens at the Century Business Center, 150 East Pond Street in Century. The food will be available while supplies last beginning at 10 a.m. each day Monday-Friday. If not consumed quickly, some foods may require refrigeration.

Escambia County Schools

Food will be available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until noon the week of March 23 for youth 18 and younger at the following schools:

  • Bratt Elementary School, 5721 North Highway 99, Bratt
  • Bellview Elementary School, 4425 Bellview Avenue
  • Warrington Middle School, 459 South Old Corry Field Road, Pensacola
  • C.A. Weis Elementary School, 2701 North Q Street, Pensacola
  • Booker T. Washington High School, 6000 College Parkway, Pensacola

There will be 33 additional schools announced later and added to the list on Monday, March 30.

Meals will be distributed in a curbside pick up operation. Cafeterias will not be open – food is to be consumed off-site. Food items will be in to go containers and will consist of ready-to-eat food items that should be consumed when received or should be quickly refrigerated for consumption at a later time. Each child will receive breakfast and lunch in the same visit. Children do not have to be a student at that school in order to pick up meals there. Children must be present.

West Florida Libraries

Escambia County West Florida Public Libraries are partnering with Feeding the Gulf Coast to provide free curbside pickup meals for youth ages 18 and under at all library branch locations, Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.:

  • Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
  • Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola
  • Tryon Beach Library, 1200 Langley Ave., Pensacola
  • Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 N. 9th Ave., Pensacola
  • Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
  • Westside Branch Library, 1301 W. Gregory St., Pensacola
  • Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd., Century

The meals will include lunch and a snack, and meals will be available on a first come, first served basis. Youth must be present to receive meals; food will not be given to adults.

Feeding the Gulf Coast

Feeding the Gulf Coast is providing free meals to children age 18 and younger at multiple locations:

  • E Comfort Inc., 2300 N. Pace Blvd, Pensacola
  • Cobb Resource Center, 601 E. Mallory St., Pensacola
  • Fricker Resource Center, 900 North F St. Pensacola
  • Woodland Heights, 111 Berkley Drive, Pensacola
  • Gull Point Resource Center, 7000 Spanish Trail, Pensacola
  • Bethel AME Church, 511 Woodland Drive, Pensacola
  • Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St., Pensacola
  • Bellview Assembly of God, 2920 W. Michigan Ave., Pensacola
  • Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
  • West Florida Libraries – Downtown, 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola
  • Morris Court, 1401 W. Lloyd St., Pensacola
  • Shooting Starz Unlimited, 312 E. Nine Mile Road, Unit 14, Pensacola
  • Dixon School of Arts and Science, 1201 H St., Pensacola
  • Tryon Beach Library, 1200 Langley Ave., Pensacola
  • Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 N. 9th Ave., Pensacola
  • Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
  • Westside Branch Library, 1301 W. Gregory St., Pensacola
  • Crown Church, 9600 N. Palafox St., Pensacola
  • Lillian Square Apartments, 7200 Lillian Highway, Pensacola
  • Carver Park Community Center, 208 Webb St., Cantonment
  • Magnolia Crossing Apartments, 4312 Magnolia Crossing Circle, Pace
  • My Father’s Arrows, Inc., 4025 Highway 178, Jay, (Gate code: 2014)
  • Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd., Century

For distribution days and times, visit https://www.feedingthegulfcoast.org/find-help/find-a-pantry and search by your location.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Breakfast and lunch feeding program school sites with drive-thru service 9:30 until 11 a.m. until further notice at the following locations:

  • Milton High School, 5445 Stewart St., Milton
  • East Milton Elementary, 5156 Ward Basin Road, Milton
  • Bagdad Elementary, 4512 Forsyth St., Milton
  • T.R. Jackson Pre-K Center, 4950 Susan St., Milton
  • Russell Elementary, 3740 Excalibur Way, Milton
  • Berryhill Elementary, 4900 Berryhill Road, Milton
  • Jay Elementary, 13833 Alabama St., Jay
  • Central School, 6180 Central School Road, Milton
  • Pea Ridge Elementary, 4775 School Lane, Pace
  • Holly Navarre Primary, 8019 Escola Street, Navarre

Pictured: Meal distribution for kids under 18 Monday at the Century Branch Library. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

3 Responses to “Hundreds Of Kids Receive Drive-Thru Meals At Schools, Public Libraries. Here’s Where To Get Food.”

  1. ForTheStudents on March 25th, 2020 10:47 am

    To keep bus drivers employed, they should keep their routes and drop the food off at bus stops. Would make things a lot easier.

  2. Sue Z on March 24th, 2020 6:07 pm

    I’m so happy for this. I have two friends that both have five children each, and don’t have a budget for feeding them. They rely on the school breakfasts and lunches. I sure hope that people don’t start taking advantage of this distribution. Thank you to all the people working/volunteering their time for this.

  3. Margie on March 24th, 2020 2:11 pm

    Are volunteers needed? Please let know where to go and what time to show up if help is needed.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News