Dear East Orange School District Parents/Guardians,
I am writing to you today to address concerns within our community regarding food resources, and to assure you of our ongoing commitment to the well-being of every student. We recognize that access to nutritious food is fundamental to a child's health, focus, and ability to learn.
Please know that we provide breakfast and lunch to all children enrolled in our school district. This is a commitment we uphold every school day to ensure that no child goes hungry while in our care. Our school cafeterias are dedicated to serving meals that meet nutritional standards and help power our students through their academic day. For students who participate in our afterschool (Banneker, Bowser, Garvin, Houston, Hughes, Louverture, Jackson, Oliver, Parks, Tyson Elementary, and Wahlstrom) or athletic programs (Campus HS), we already extend our support by providing a dinner meal. In our effort to ensure that children in our care receive a third nutritious meal before returning home, this dinner program is available to all district students from any school.
Additional Community Resources We understand that the need for food support can extend beyond the school day. To help ensure continuous access to nutritious meals for your family, we have attached separate documents that list local food pantries and community resources in our area. We encourage you to utilize any of these resources as needed.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your student's school principal.
Thank you for your partnership as we continue to work together to support the health and education of our students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christopher Irving, Superintendent of Schools