Updated on March 15, 2020 at 12PM
Update from Jim Maloney, Chief Operating Officer of CPS
Dear CPS Community:
Every weekday, Cambridge Public Schools will be packing and distributing bagged breakfasts and lunches to locations throughout the city, starting tomorrow, March 16.
Families who are facing food challenges are all welcome to pick up one bag per child, regardless of Free/Reduced Price Lunch status.
Tables with bags containing 1 breakfast and 1 lunch will be set at the following locations:
- Haggerty School: Cushing Street main entrance
- Peabody School: Rindge Avenue main entrance
- King Open School: Cambridge Street main entrance
- Morse School: Granite Street main entrance
- Dr. Martin Luther King School, Jr.: Magee Street Entrance
- Fletcher Maynard Academy: Harvard Avenue
- 35 Cambridge Park Drive: Look for a parked yellow school bus nearby
We are actively working to add additional sites, including closer to the North Point/Museum of Science area. We hope to have a plan for this neighborhood by Tuesday. We are also looking into whether we can provide more targeted deliveries for families who may need assistance due a child’s disability or other special circumstances.
Process for Pick-ups:
- Please come to the location most convenient for you.
- If your last name starts with A - M, please come at 12noon.
- N - Z, please come at 12:30PM
- Families or students may pick up 1 bag per child in the household.
- Each bag will contain 1 lunch and 1 breakfast for the following morning.
- Please try to stay at a distance from others while awaiting your turn.
- If you’re ill please respect the health of others by staying home and arranging a neighbor to pick up and bring to your door.
How sites will operate:
- Food will be prepared every weekday morning by Food & Nutrition Services staff
- Food is being prepared in one CPS kitchen and will be delivered to sites by school bus
- Tables and serving equipment will be sanitized and set-up daily
- Volunteers organized by Food for Free will set food out on tables and step away
- Volunteers will also help the pick-ups go smoothly, reminding people to maintain social distancing as much as possible
- All individuals involved in preparing and food-pick up activities will follow proper hand-washing and other appropriate sanitary measures.
This is an extensive community-wide effort, and we have never tried to do this type of distribution of school meals before. Please be patient as we all learn how to do this effectively, safely and efficiently.
I want to thank dedicated food services and facilities personnel for their contributions to this efforts.
Sincerely,
Jim Maloney
Chief Operating Officer
PS: If you would like to volunteer to assist with this and other food distribution efforts to vulnerable members of our community please sign up for the Food for Free Community Response using this form >>.
Additional Reminders
- A new section of the City of Cambridge website contains announcements from public health, libraries, safety officials, and CPS.
- Please keep your contact information up to date with your school by emailing the School Clerk with any changes to phone numbers or email addresses.
- If you are not currently receiving text messages from CPS, such as the one sent Thursday night to announce the school closure, please text HELP to 675-87. When prompted, type Y.
- All programming located in CPS buildings including DHSP afterschool, pre-school, and Community Schools, are closed during this school closure.
- Are you a community-based partner? We can add you to our email list so you can help share information with your families and community. Click here >>
- Click here for additional information for CPS Staff >>