ROCK SPRINGS — You might not expect that daily meals provided through the Nutrition Services in Sweewtwater County School District No. 1 would actually increase when the schools closed down in March. You’d be wrong.

Since Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon issued his March 13 State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak, subsequently shutting down schools, restaurant dining areas, hair salons and many other businesses, SCSD No. 1 reports that meal distribution has substantially increased.

“We are currently serving more meals per day than when school is in session,” said Nutrition Services Director Angie Erramouspe. “The majority of our increase in participation is due to the number of breakfast meals being served.”

The Most Important Meal of the Day 

Erramoupse said the district has seen a 184% increase in breakfasts served since the closures, with a slight increase in lunches over the past five weeks.

Right now, the district is serving on average about 4,500 meals per day. When students were in school, the daily average participation was closer to 3,000 meals per day. Meals are marked off on a tally sheet rather than marking children down by name/age. The district doesn’t have data to track which specific age groups are receiving meals, Erramouspe added.

“We’re just glad the community is taking the opportunity to utilize this service we are able to provide,” she said.

Federal Guidelines

During a normal school day, the district separates breakfast and lunch into two individually-wrapped meals. But these aren’t normal times.

“The USDA is allowing districts the flexibility to serve one complete breakfast and one complete lunch in the same sack during COVID-19 school closures,” Erramouspe said. “During the regular Summer Feeding Program, breakfasts and lunches must be served separately.”

And speaking of summer, the district will plan to continue its regularly-scheduled services to families when the school year officially ends. Information about the Summer Feeding Program will be distributed to parents when it becomes available in the next month, Erramouspe said.

School Lunch Hero Day

The district will celebrate School Lunch Hero Day on Friday, May 1. In any other year, the celebration would take place inside all the schools to thank the hard-working employees who serve meals to our students every day.

Since the closures, the district has set up Grab-and-Go sites around town for parents to conveniently pick up their students’ meals.

“I would like to encourage anyone visiting our Grab & Go sites on May 1st to make signs or simply say thank you while you’re going through the line to show your support and appreciation to all the hard-working people that ensure the children in our community are being fed.” Erramouspe said. “Thank you to all who are helping, have helped and have offered to help!  We appreciate you!”

Kids are even encouraged to dress up as their favorite superhero if they’re planning to visit the sites tomorrow.

Grab-and-Go sites can be found at the following locations:

• Rock Springs Municipal Cemetery, 800 Thompson Street
• SCM Parish Center Parking Lot, 633 Bridger Avenue
• Imperial Apartments, Imperial Drive
• Kum & Go, 9th Street
• Tegler & Associates (across from Grubb’s Drive-In), 1125 Pilot Butte Avenue
• Desert View Elementary School parking lot, 1900 Desert Boulevard
• Gateway Trailer Park (the dirt lot), 222 Gateway Boulevard
• Rock Springs High School (garage doors on James Drive), 1375 James Drive
• Overland Elementary School parking lot, 3400 Foothill Boulevard
• Winterhawk and Raindance mailboxes- This one is over by the townhouse/apartments on Winterhawk.
• Volcic Mobile Home Park (by the mailboxes), 166 Foothill Boulevard
• Purple Sage Mobile Home Park (by the mailboxes), 45 Purple Sage Road
• Superior – Berta and Main, Superior, WY
• Point of Rocks (Conoco Station), Point of Rocks,WY
• Farson-Eden School parking lot, Highway 28 Farson, WY
• Desert School (Wamsutter) parking lot, 235 Bugas, Wamsutter, WY
• Reliance Trailer Park
• Northpark School

All Grab-and-Go sites are open from 9:00-10:00 a.m. The junior high and high school serve from 9-10 a.m. and then again for a second chance from 10:30-11:30 a.m.