LOW MOOR — Alleghany Highlands Public Schools is extending its Summer Food Service Program through the month of July.
Since the program started in early June, the school division has received positive feedback from families with children who are participating. The program provides free breakfast lunch to children 18 and under, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The Clifton Forge Fire Department and Jeter-Watson Elementary School will continue to serve as the distribution sites. The meals are provided by AHPS through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“So many of the participating families have expressed their gratitude to us for providing this service. They are saying these meals help them navigate the economy, while also providing their children with nutritious meals. This would not be possible without the valuable volunteers and staff who staff our distribution sites. These special volunteers and staff truly love our children, and it shows through their dedication and commitment,” said Debra Buckner, director of child nutrition for AHPS.
Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability or age, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
The meals will continue to be distributed at the Clifton Forge Fire Department and Jeter-Watson Elementary on Mondays and Thursdays in July from 11 a.m. to noon. The dates are July 3, July 6, July 10, July 13, July 17, July 20, July 24, and July 27. Three days of breakfast and lunch will be provided on Mondays. Four days of breakfast and lunch will be provided on Thursdays.
“We are very pleased that this program has been able to expand to additional dates this summer,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS. “We want to encourage all interested families in our community to participate, and no paperwork or approvals are required for families to pick up food.”
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form- 0508-0002-508-11-28-17.
The form can also be obtained by fax, email, or U.S. Mail from any USDA office by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address,telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.
The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
— Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410.
— Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442.
— Email: [email protected].
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division was created on July 1, 2023, through the merger of Alleghany County Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center. The school division is jointly funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington.
AHPS news and updates are regularly posted on Facebook at AHPublicSchools, and the division website www.ahps.k12.va.us.