Cabell County Schools summer feeding program returns with new guidelines

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The summer feeding program is back in Cabell County.

Starting June 8, kids can get breakfast and lunches.

The past few years, families have been required to come pick up a box and take it home for the week.

Travis Austin of Cabell Schools nutrition services says in coming away from the COVID-19 guidelines, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has made changes at the national level that Cabell County schools have to follow.

“This year, they’ve put out a map, and as far as summer feeding in Cabell County, we’re doing two things. All of Cabell County, with the exception of Huntington, qualify as a rural location,” Austin said. “What that means for kids is we’re going to have five locations in the rural areas in Cabell County that can pick up a meal box.”

That means families in Cabell County outside Huntington are continuing with the premade meal box pickup, and must pick them up at designated locations. For Huntington families, there will be daily sites where students come and eat each morning and afternoon.

“We’re not leaving Huntington out, but under the USDA guidelines we have to do individual sites,” Austin said. “We have a dozen sites in the city of Huntington, we’re in libraries, in community centers.”

Austin says he recognizes it could be frustrating to not have the same guidelines countywide, but the guidelines come from the USDA. He says most daily sites will have activities to make it worthwhile.

“So the libraries may have story hour for the kids and lunch may be after that,” Austin said.

For the list of sites, click here.

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