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Keeping kids fed while Forsyth County schools close for coronavirus threat
Food Insecurity 1 090119 web

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With the novel coronavirus disrupting life for many students and families, the Forsyth County public school system and local nonprofits are providing food assistance for those impacted.

Forsyth County Schools announced Friday that they will be offering a free meal pick-up service to all public and private school students in Forsyth County ages pre-school to 18, or 21 for students with special needs, after the school district canceled all classes and school-related activities next week.

From March 16-20, students can pick up a free lunch for the day and breakfast for the following day at Sawnee Elementary School (1616 Canton Highway) and Whitlow Elementary School (3655 Castleberry Road) from 12-1 p.m. Students must be accompanied by an adult.

The announcement comes a day after Forsyth County Schools decided to implement online learning days for the district’s 50,000 students next week after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp urged public school systems to close for two weeks during a press conference earlier in the day.

Kemp’s message set off a string of closures and cancellations around metro Atlanta as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia reached 42 Friday, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Meanwhile, The Place of Forsyth County, a local nonprofit organization, said it will deliver food to families with limited transportation or vulnerable family members.

“Many of these families will not be able to work during the next week or so,” Joni Smith, The Place’s President and CEO, said in a statement. “For our families, a week’s wage is a game-changer.”

Donations of kid-friendly food items can be delivered to the organization’s office at 2550 The Place Circle, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

People can also shop the organization’s Amazon emergency food list or make monetary donations at the nonprofit’s website, theplaceofforsyth.org.