GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Emergency meal service for all kids 18 and younger in Mesa County will continue through June 30, 2020.

The Colorado Department of Education granted D51 permission to continue emergency meal service well into the summer due to high demand and use of the service. The district is serving nearly 2,000 to-go lunches and about as many to-go breakfast meals each weekday at emergency meal sites. This is more than double the meals D-51 and Lunch Lizard usually serve.

The school district began emergency meal service March 23 following the closure of all schools due to COVID-19. In order to protect student and staff health, families are asked to arrive by car and pick up their meals in a drive-thru fashion or, if they arrive by bike or foot, take their meals to go and practice proper physical distancing.

Also to protect student safety, school zone lights near the schools that are serving emergency meals will remain on from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on weekdays through the end of June. 

Emergency meal service currently takes place at three Lunch Lizard stops and outside 10 D51 schools and one local business. A few sites may change after May 21 based on participation and some sites participating in summer programming may be added.

Meals are served at school and business sites from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Lunch Lizard sites are visited for up to 45 minutes at a time. For a full schedule of emergency meal service sites and times, visit bit.ly/lunchlizard.