Community seeks to replace Durham schools meal distribution effort after employee tests positive for virus

Meals will be distributed as scheduled on Friday, and a week's worth of student lunches will be handed out Monday at 13 schools before the system shuts down, officials said.

Now, some organizations in the community will attempt to step in to fill the void that will be left after Monday, and those who had been relying upon the school district's effort are left with uncertainty.

"I appreciate this very much, but I also understand the importance of making sure everybody's safe," said Stephanie Jones, a mother of three. "I guess I'm spending more money at the grocery store," she said when asked what's next.

"I am grateful for all of our staff who have provided immediate food assistance to our children while in the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis," Superintendent Pascal Mubenga said in a statement. "We now need to focus on the health and wellness of our employees."

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The employee had been distributing food at Bethesda Elementary School, which has been producing 400 to 500 meals for various feeding sites and serving about 100 meals directly each day.

Other employees who worked at the Bethesda Elementary site have been sent home and directed by DPS to contact the health department.

"We do not believe that any parents or students would have come into close contact with this individual, although we are continuing to do our due diligence and make sure of that," district spokesman Chip Sudderth said. "The food should be safe. The concern that we have is for our employees who were in close direct contact with this other employee."

Public health officials have identified at least 15 other district employees who may have been exposed to the virus, Sudderth said.

Since beginning the food distribution program on March 23, DPS has strengthened "social distancing" requirements, undertaken aggressive cleaning and closed most district work sites, officials said. All staff at food distribution sites have had their temperatures regularly monitored, and the infected employee's temperature was normal while on the job.

Sudderth said the employee didn't come to work after taking a coronavirus test, and DPS was notified of the positive test on Wednesday night.

"To our knowledge, the employee who tested positive was not symptomatic, and that employee did not come to work when they started feeling poorly and was not at work when they received the results of the test," he said.

The Bethesda Elementary kitchen was shut down Thursday for "extensive cleaning," he said.

Meals have been handed out daily at 17 sites, and staffers handed out more than 27,000 lunches during the first week of operation.

"We know how important these meals are to our families. We have been doing a lot of work over the last couple of weeks getting food to families who really need them," Sudderth said.

"We are part of the social support network for Durham families and Durham children, and we have been doing our best to maintain that support. But we’re also aware that COVID-19 is serious, and we have to keep our students and our staff safe," he said.

The state Department of Health and Human Services has increased benefits to current Food and Nutrition Services recipients through the end of April. Families can also identify three drive-thru or pick-up sites with meals through No Kid Hungry North Carolina by texting FOODNC to 877-877. The DPS Foundation has worked with other local partners and restaurants to provide family meals as well.

DPS staff will continue to distribute instructional materials to support learning at home at all 53 schools on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m.