MIAMI COUNTY — In accordance with Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement last week to close all schools in the state for three weeks, and given that some students and families rely on school meals, schools and outside organizations are working to ensure all students will continue to receive adequate meals.

Troy City Schools released an update Friday stating breakfast and lunch will be served to any student in need, beginning Tuesday, March 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on weekdays. Any student may pick up a “grab-and-go” pack of food at the main entrance of any of the district’s nine school buildings. This pack will contain that day’s lunch and the next day’s breakfast.

Piqua City Schools are currently on the regularly-scheduled spring break, from March 16-20.

According to Superintendent Dwayne Thompson, the district will serve meals to students during the additional two weeks off school. Meal distribution will take place after spring break, beginning Monday, March 23, and will continue until the shutdown is over.

Lunch will be served at several pick-up locations, including Piqua Central Intermediate School; the corner of Sunset Drive and Covington Avenue; Pitsenbarger Park, near the tennis courts; the Piqua Salvation Army; and the corner of Staunton and East Main streets (Shawnee).

The delivery time for each location will be as close to noon as possible, Monday through Friday. PCS students, ages one through 18, may pick up food at any of these locations at no charge. A lunch will be provided at that time, along with a breakfast for the following day. All meals will be “Cook’s Choice.”

PCS is asking parents and caregivers to complete a brief survey in order to help the district be best prepared. To take the survey, visit https://forms.gle/9bdWNYXng2oi3Cvd6.

Tipp Monroe Community Services will offer free children’s lunch program, called “Lunch On Us,” for all Tipp City and Monroe Township children in kindergarten through high school through the school closing.

Lunches will be available for pick up at the following locations and times:

• Tipp City United Methodist Church, at 8 W. Main St., and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Meadow Drive, off Ginghamsburg-Frederick Road, at 11:30 a.m.

• Tweed Woods Park, on Sequoia Court between Larch Street and Banyon Tree Way, at 11:45 a.m.

• Floral Acres and Rosedale Avenue, at 11:55 a.m.

• At the corner of Elas Court and Woodlawn Drive, at 12:05 p.m.

• Tipp City Park Roundhouse Entrance, at 12:15 p.m.

• West Walnut Street and Bellview Court, at 11:30 a.m.

• Wind Ridge Apartments, middle parking lot, at 11:40 a.m.

• Comanche Lane and Cheyenne Place, at 11:50 a.m.

• North Tippecanoe Drive and Miles Avenue, at 12:05 p.m.

• Hathaway Park, at 12:15 p.m.

To check for possible updates, visit the TMCS or Tipp City Schools websites. Call (937) 667-2318, between 9 and 11 a.m., if you are unable to get to one of the drop off locations.

Miami East Local Schools will provide lunch to all students each weekday that school is closed.

A sack lunch will be provided between the hours of 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the elementary/junior high. Families should enter through the back of the building and go through the cafeteria line as they would normally. Students may then put their student code in and take a to-go lunch.

Milton-Union Exempted Village School District Superintendent Brad Richey said the district is working to finalize its plans to distribute meals during the off weeks.

“We’re thinking about making it a process of providing five lunches to a student, parent or caregiver at a time on a specific day of the week and time of day,” Richey said. “We’re still working out the details, but we would like to provide five lunches and five breakfast items at the same time, so we’d do that once per week.”

Richey said the plan is to utilize the help of a local volunteer group, as well as local churches. He said the exact start date will be released soon, and the program will go through April 3, a date which could be altered if necessary.

According to Newton Local Schools Superintendent Pat McBride, the district utilizes a program called “Hands Full of Purpose,” which delivered food to the high school this past Friday. Some food was distributed to students then, and beginning Wednesday, March 17, and taking place each following Wednesday until school resumes, students will be able to pick up a week’s worth of food for breakfast and lunch.

Covington Exempted Village Schools will continue to prepare breakfast and lunch for students during the scheduled closure. To sign up, parents are requested to visit the school’s website, at www.covington.k12.oh.us, and click on the link that says, “School Lunch Sign Up.” Once there, parents may follow the steps on the form.

If parents do not have access to a computer, they can call 937-473-1149 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to sign up over the phone.

The meals will be bagged and distributed twice per week. One day will contain two days’ worth of meals and the second day will contain three days’ worth of meals. There is a spot on the form that allows parents to choose between picking up the meals or having them delivered.

Parents may call 937-473-2249 with any questions.

Bradford Exempted Village Schools and Bethel Local Schools have not yet released details regarding their lunch plans.

Bradford Superintendent Joe Hurst said he will be meeting with administrators Tuesday to finalize plans, which will be released promptly afterward.

The Troy Rec served grab-and-go lunches Monday, thanks to volunteer services and donations from Seeds of Hope and Valley Church.

According to Kelly Snyder, executive director, The Rec will be directing kids to utilize their respective school’s shutdown meal service plan beginning Tuesday, March 17, through April 3.

The facility will again serve lunch throughout the week of April 6-10, which is spring break for several schools.

“During the coming weeks, until whenever this is over, we will also have a tote in the building’s foyer with snack bags with things like Pop-Tarts, granola bars and water, so any kid that is walking around can come in foyer to grab a snack,” Snyder said.

La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant in Troy will also offer free meals to any child in need while school is closed. Lunches will be available Monday-Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will include a choice of cheese quesadilla with rice and beans or a ground beef/shredded chicken taco with rice and beans.