LOW MOOR — The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division will provide free meals to children during the month of June at designated locations in Covington, Low Moor, and Clifton Forge.
The meals will be provided to persons 18 and under on a first-come, first-serve basis at Jeter-Watson Elementary School, Mountain View Elementary School, and the Clifton Forge Fire Department.
“Summer break is an exciting time for kids, but we also know that summer is a critical time for their health and well-being. That is why we are excited to once again partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Summer Meals Program. This partnership enables us to give children access to nutritious foods and beverages,” said Debra Buckner, director of child nutrition for AHPS.
Jeter-Watson Elementary and the Clifton Forge Fire Department have been designated as sites that will distribute meals for pick-up only. Mountain View Elementary School will serve as a hybrid location that will provide meals on site Monday through Thursday. Remedial summer school will be held at Mountain View June 5-29. Mountain View will also serve as a pick-up site for meals on Thursdays.
Parents or guardians must be accompanied by the children when receiving a meal from pick-up locations.
The schedule for each designated summer meal site is as follows:
— Clifton Forge Fire Department: June 5, June 8, June 15, June 22, June 26, June 29. The hours for pickup on Mondays and Thursdays will be from 11 a.m. to noon. Three days of breakfast and lunch will be provided on Mondays. Four days of breakfast and lunch will be provided on Thursdays.
— Jeter-Watson Elementary School: June 5, June 8, June 15, June 22, June 26, June 29. The hours for pickup on Mondays and Thursdays will be from 11 a.m. to noon. Three days of breakfast and lunch will be provided on Mondays. Four days of breakfast and lunch will be provided on Thursdays.
— Mountain View Elementary School: Designated as a hybrid site from June 5-30. Daily meal service will be provided Mondays through Thursdays, with breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m., and lunch from 11 a.m. to noon. On Thursdays, four days of combined breakfast and lunch meals will be provided for off-site consumption. The meals can be picked up on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon.
Alleghany Highlands Public Schools will be closed on June 19 in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.
AHPS relies on staff and volunteers to provide children with summer feeding options. AHPS expanded its meals program this summer after conducting a survey to gauge interest levels among families, staff, and volunteers.
“We encourage every interested family in our community to access summer meals and we wish to remind everyone that no paperwork is required to access food,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS.
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.