REGION — The Regional School Unit 73 food service department currently provides breakfast and lunch to about 400 children from the Livermore, Livermore Falls and Jay area throughout the week. With grant money, the department was able to extend its food program until June 30.

The summer food program will operate on federal funding as well as grant money from Full Plates which is a Maine-based organization with the mission to end student hunger within the state. The grant will off-set the program’s labor, food and equipment costs. The Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council has also donated food coolers to the department. 

Christina Joclin of Livermore Falls holds the hand of her 5-year-old son, Patrick, after picking up prepackaged meals provided by RSU 73 earlier this year. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

While some of the program’s positions such as bus drivers have been eliminated this year due to the pandemic, additional staff will be necessary in response to extra pressures posed by COVID-19 challenges.  

“The summer program historically has two staff. This year, we are anticipating needing three or four staff as well as two or three district employees and volunteers,” food service director Laura Lorette said in an email.

The increase of staff and limited funding will stretch the department thin and bring the program to a halt if Lorette is unable to find additional support. 

“The cost of operating this year is very concerning, we will continue as long as it is economically feasible,” Lorette said in an email.

Beyond the financial constraints, the district also has to navigate the various stipulations that are attached to federal and grant funding which often interfere with COVID-19 restrictions. 

“Usually they need to eat on-site, the meals are given to the students directly, and because of the pandemic, there’s a lot of waivers that have been put into place allowing us more flexibility with meal distribution,” Lorette said in a phone interview.

RSU 73 employee Dale Quirrion, left, puts a box of meals in the back of a car for Audrey Smiley of Livermore Falls at Mallard Mart in Livermore Falls earlier this year. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

The district has been posting on its website the various sites where students and families can pick up all of their meals for the day. 

“We are able to give them a breakfast and lunch at one time as opposed to having to serve at different times,” Lorette said. “As the state and federal regulations have extended waivers, that’s opened up different opportunities for areas, and local distribution as to how areas were to approach the summer.”

The distribution system for the district’s food program that was set in place after schools were closed in March will continue with the following pick-up locations starting June 16: Spruce Mountain High School from 8 to 10 a.m., Brettun’s Variety (Livermore) from 9:30 to 9:50 a.m., Pike’s Mallard Mart  (Livermore Falls) from 10:10 to 10:30 a.m. and Meadowbrook Apartments (Livermore Falls) from 9:15 to 9:35 a.m.