HARLINGEN — “How many?” asked a masked server in the bitter cold.
“Five!” replied a fellow bus driver doubling as a server at Harlingen High School, one of five locations Thursday where the Harlingen school district was delivering meals for students.
Soon, Elvira Martinez had five boxes of hot meals for her kids.
“I’m very happy,” Martinez said from her idling truck as workers delivered meals through the windows of car after car.
The district has closed all campuses for the remainder of the week and has begun its HCISD Curbside Meal Pickup Program to address the current situation. There’s more to that situation than closed schools.
“It’s important because if you go to the grocery stores you may not see any food on the shelves,” said Judy Baker, director of child nutrition for the district.
Martinez experienced that first hand.
“It’s been very hard getting food at the store,” she said. “I can’t get any eggs, milk or bread.”
Her power had just returned after being going out on Monday; they’d survived with a borrowed generator and a barbecue pit to stay warm.
Harlingen Superintendent Alicia Noyola had seen herself evidence of the storm’s menacing presence.
“As we were seeing the lines across our communities at our stores, our gas stations and so forth, it was very easy to recognize that our community is suffering,” Noyola said. “We made the determination that our families needed us, so that’s what led us to provide meal service across our district.”
Setting it up wasn’t easy, but the district these days has become accustomed to spur of the moment initiatives – as have so many across the country.
“We’ve been through so many experiences this last year, whether it was a hurricane or COVID, just so many things,” Noyola said. “Our people have united as we undertake any kind of obstacle that comes our way.”
Baker spoke about all the planning that has taken place since last year for any kind of need that might arise.
“We’ve strategically planned ahead for months to be able to handle any type of circumstances we’re hit with,” she said.
There was certainly a need. Within minutes after the food deliveries began, a long line of cars stretched away from the parking lot of HHS.
“We started our meal service just a few minutes ago but we’ve already seen a great interest in coming to participate in this at all five sites,” Baker said.
So great is the need that a sixth site would be open Friday at Treasure Hills Elementary. While initial plans called for food distribution Thursday and Friday, a decision has now been made to serve meals at all six locations on both Saturday and Sunday.
Noyola commended the devotion and efforts of bus drivers and child nutrition staff.
“It’s just such a prideful moment for me as I see our staff doing that, because I know that they too are going through their struggles but they recognize the important service they provide to our community,” Noyola said.
Baker also recognized very well the devotion and sacrifice of school employees.
“Harlingen CISD is blessed to have some of the most dedicated and devoted child nutrition employees,” Baker said. “They work hard and they are very passionate about feeding our children in our community. We literally had employees without electricity, without water. They have their own personal devastation at home, but they’re here working hard for our district.”
In light of the hardships of so many district employees, Noyola observed the spirit with which they sacrificed so much.
“I was out there a few minutes ago watching our staff, they were smiling and welcoming our folks,” she said.
The district planned to open schools again on Monday – but of course, that can always change.
LOCATIONS OF CURBSIDE DELIVERY
Harlingen High School
Harlingen High School South
Coakley Middle School
Vernon Middle School
Rodriguez Elementary School
Treasure Hills Elementary School
DAYS SERVED
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
TIMES SERVED
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
For more information, check the HCISD Facebook page.
