Feed BloNo Kids offering free meals to children during COVID-19 pandemic

Posted on March 18, 2020
Volunteers help gather food items for children of the Twin-Cities. (Photo courtesy: Feed BloNo Kids/Facebook)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – With COVID-19 causing locals schools to switch to e-learning during mandated school closures, a group comprised of community and business leaders formed to provided free meals for children.

Teaming up with food trucks Gill Streets Eats and Healthy In a Hurry and other businesses, Feed BloNo Kids spokesman Roy Wraps said the group will provide meals to children through walk-up or drive-thru locations.

“The WalMart’s are out the Hy’ vees are out the Meijers are out (of supplies). So keep that in mind as we continue this mission,” added Wraps.

Lunch will be served daily Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Lunches will include a hamburger or hotdog with chips and a drink. However, Wraps said the group is still in need of donations and volunteers.

“We’re taking all donations because we as a collective group believe that this is probably going to last a little bit further than (March) 31,” Wraps told WJBC’s Scott Miller. “The big problem we are having is not the money, and the problem is finding the supplies….We need bread; we need bottles of water, we need snacks to put in the bags.”

A complete list of Feed BloNo Kids pick-up locations can be found by clicking here. Meals will be provided to any child or teen under the age of 18.

Additionally, District 87 is offering opportunities for families to pick up meals. Bagged meals can be picked up via drive-thru at Sheridan Elementary School and at Bloomington High School for any District 87 student.

Food service staff will also deliver meals with the District’s Mobile Meal Unity at Wood Hill Towers in Bloomington from 12-12:30 on March 18, 19 and 20.

Unit 5 is asking families to participate in a survey to know how many meals to prepare. The survey can be found here  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BK6RN58

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…