NC Coronavirus: Texting Tool Connects Free Meals With Children

This article originally appeared on the Across North Carolina Patch

NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina schools are set to remain closed through mid-May, leaving some families scrambling for a way to feed their children.

To help, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Friday that parents who need food assistance for their children can text FOODNC to 877-877 to locate nearby free meal sites. The texting service is also available in Spanish by texting COMIDA to 877-877.

After entering their address, parents will receive a text with the location and serving times for nearby pick-up and drive-thru free meal sites while schools are closed. Sites have been set up across the state for families with children ages 18 and younger, including preschool children, who rely on free and reduced-price meals at school.

"School closings mean no meals for some of our most vulnerable children," Cooper said. "Now families have an easier way to find food during these times of financial stress."

Related: Coronavirus: NC School Closures Extended Through May 15

Parents can also call 2-1-1 to speak with an operator who will help them locate meal sites in their community. The 2-1-1 service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Services are provided in English, Spanish and many other languages.

Additionally, No Kid Hungry NC has created a map of local school sites, community organizations and food assistance programs across North Carolina where families can access food. The interactive map can be viewed at nokidhungrync.org/covid19/ and is updated daily.

The Governor’s North Carolina COVID-19 Education and Nutrition Working Group, co-chaired by the NC Department of Health and Human Services and the NC Department of Public Instruction, worked in partnership with state and community organizations such as No Kid Hungry to set up the texting program.

School sites and community organizations providing food are experiencing a high demand for services and rely on dedicated volunteers to provide meals. NC Department of Health and Human Services and NC Department of Public Instruction ask that people who are not at high-risk for severe illness associated with COVID-19 sign up to volunteer to prepare meals. Those interested in volunteering should call their local school district office, community organization or visit volunteernc.org.

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For more information and additional guidance on regulations and recommendations related to the health threat from COVID-19, visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services website and CDC’s website.

North Carolina public schools will be closed through May 15, Cooper said last week. The announcement represents an extension of the ongoing two-week closure for in-person instruction at public schools that began March 16.

Cooper also announced he is signing an executive order that bans mass gatherings of 50 people or more. This new order, which ramps up a previous ban on groups of 100 or more, means temporary closure for businesses such as gyms, movie theaters, health clubs and more, he said.

Coronavirus: Entire State Of NC Ordered To 'Stay At Home'

Starting Monday afternoon, all of North Carolina is being ordered to "stay at home" in order to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, Cooper said Friday afternoon. The order is set to go into effect at 5 p.m. Monday.

"It is what we have to do to save lives," Cooper said at a news conference. "It has the force of law."

The order is mandatory, and valid for 30 days through April 29, but could be revised or extended.