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CUSD feeding students during school closures
• District adapts during coronavirus scare
Feeding kids CUSD
Ceres Unified Child Nutrition team member Amy Ramos hands out to-go meals to Mae Hensley Jr. High families through the parking lot drive-thru pick-up location. - photo by Photos courtesy of Ceres Unified School District

The Ceres Unified School District is making sure all of its students have access to nutritious meals at no cost while all of its campuses remain temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re not going to change how we take care of our kids,” said Ceres School Board President Mike Welsh. “The district’s doing a great job. It’s going to continue.”

On Thursday, Child Nutrition team members handed out 2,887 breakfasts and 2,887 lunches at drive-thru/walk-through pick-up stations set up at all of the district’s schools and other sites in the community.

“Everybody was smiling and excited to see each other,” CUSD Communications Specialist Beth Jimenez said. “We’re trying to put as much normal back into their days. It restores a sense of normalcy when they get to see familiar faces during a time that’s unlike any we’ve experienced before.”

Ceres Unified adjusted its pick-up sites on March 20. 

“To concentrate our resources in areas of high demand, we have relocated meal distributions from Hidahl Elementary, La Rosa Elementary, Patricia Kay Beaver Leadership Magnet and Whitmore Charter,” Jimenez said.

Locations for meal pick up, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:

• Adkison Elementary – 1824 Nadine Avenue, Modesto 95351

• Carroll Fowler Elementary – 2611 Garrison Street, Ceres 95307

• Caswell Elementary –  1800 N. Central Avenue, Ceres 95307

• Don Pedro Elementary – 2300 E. Don Pedro Road, Ceres 95307

• Lucas Elementary – 3500 Rose Avenue, Ceres 95307

• Sam Vaughn Elementary – 3618 Helen Perry Road, Ceres 95307

• Sinclear Elementary – 1211 Hackett Road, Ceres 95307

• Virginia Parks Elementary – 1021 Moffett Road, Modesto 95351

• Walter White Elementary – 2904 6th Street, Ceres 95307

• Westport Elementary – 5218 S. Carpenter Road, Modesto 95358

• Blaker-Kinser Jr. High – 1601 Kinser Road, Ceres 95307

• Cesar Chavez Jr. High – 2701 Eastgate Blvd., Ceres 95307

• Mae Hensley Jr. High – 1806 Moffett Road, Ceres 95307

• Central Valley High School – 4033 S. Central Avenue, Ceres 95307

• Ceres High School – 2320 Central Avenue, Ceres 95307

• Parklawn Park – Off Hatch & Church, Modesto 95358

• Cowan Tract – Corner of Cowan & B St., Modesto 95358

• Peace Church of God – 7812 Monterey Avenue, Ceres 95307

• Independence Park – Off Peltola Street, Ceres 95307

• Pine Ridge Apartments – 1301 Richland Avenue, Modesto 95351

Ceres Unified’s free meal program will run through May 1.

A student 18 or under must be present for each meal received.

Breakfast consists of cereal, a graham cracker, fruit and milk.

Lunch consists of a variety of sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, and milk.


Genesis Marron and Giuliana Marron
Ceres Unified is making sure all of its students have access to nutritious meals at no cost while all of its campuses remain temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Walter White Elementary pupils Genesis Marron and Giuliana Marron picked up breakfast and lunch last Thursday from a drive-thru/walk-up site at the district office.