[CONTACT: Sarah Steely at 570-854-5023 or ssteely@strength.org]
RICHMOND, Va. (June 11, 2020) – On Wednesday, Governor Ralph Northam announced that he would direct $3 million of the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund to cover unfunded costs for the continuation of school-based meals programs while schools remain closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including hazard pay for school nutrition staff. The following statement is from Sarah Steely, Associate Director of No Kid Hungry Virginia:
“On behalf of the No Kid Hungry Virginia campaign, I would like to thank Governor Northam for this important investment in child nutrition programs. Since the coronavirus shut down schools across Virginia earlier this year, many divisions have gone above and beyond to serve meals to children and have exhausted their school nutrition budgets. These critical funds will help school nutrition programs continue their day-to-day day operations and provide hazard pay for the staff who are on the front lines feeding kids.
Over the last few months, nutrition programs have been a tremendous help to families all across the Commonwealth and will continue to be critical as many Virginia families face hunger for the first time as a result of the economic crisis that has accompanied this pandemic”.