Orange County

Orange County to offer students free holiday meals before Thanksgiving break

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County Public Schools will offer students free meals before the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday break.

OCPS will offer holiday meals on Monday from 9 a.m. to noon at several locations across Orange County.

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Holiday meal distribution sites include:

1) - Apopka Middle

2) - Maxey Elementary

3) - Hungerford Elementary

4) - Union Park Middle

5) - East River High

6) - Pine Hills Elementary

7) - Windermere High

8) - Millennia Gardens Elementary

9) - Odyssey Middle

10) - Freedom High

11) - Cypress Creek High

12) - OCPS Academic Center for Excellence (ACE)

13) - Carver Middle

School leaders said students will receive multiple days of meals, including fresh and shelf-stable produce, breakfast, snack meal kits and milk.

“Children will be out of school during the holidays, and we want to ensure they have access to nutritious food. Currently, meals are distributed every Monday and parents have expressed their gratitude for their child’s favorite meals,” said Lora Gilbert, senior director of the OCPS Food and Nutrition Services program.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture funds are provided through the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Child Nutrition Program to allow for all children younger than 18 to receive meals at no charge, officials said.

According to OCPS, neighborhood volunteers, Parent, teacher, student associations, nonprofits, city, community or church programs sponsoring children’s activities may also pick up meals for delivery to children.