Sheetz giving free lunches to children as coronavirus closes North Carolina schools
Sheetz is giving children free meals in an effort to fight hunger in North Carolina during the coronavirus pandemic.
Starting Thursday, the convenience store chain will provide lunches to kids who need them at participating stores in Raleigh, Durham and other parts of the state, according to a news release.
The offer is scheduled to run until the meals are gone and will be evaluated in two weeks, Sheetz says.
The lunch giveaway comes as in-person instruction at North Carolina public schools is suspended until at least May 15 due to concerns about COVID-19. About 60% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunches at their schools, The News & Observer reported.
“It is our hope Sheetz’s Kidz Meal Bagz program will make a small difference and provide nourishment to those in need during these uncertain times,” Travis Sheetz, company president and chief operating officer, said in the news release.
To participate, Sheetz says families can go to its stores and ask at the checkout counter for a lunch for each child. The meals “include a turkey sandwich, chips and a drink,” according to the company.
Nearly 300 stores in the eastern part of the country are offering the free meals, and families can check for locations at www.sheetz.com/news/kidzmeals.
School districts in Wake County and other parts of the state have launched programs to feed children while schools are shut down, The News & Observer reported.
