Several Omaha-Council Bluffs social services agencies are coming together to help thousands of food-insecure children across the Metro whose schools have closed due to the COVID-19 virus.
"Food Bank for the Heartland" is partnering with "Westside Nutritional Services," "Omaha-Council Bluffs Salvation Army," "Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue," local school districts and nonprofit organizations to launch a "Mobile BackPack" program.
Starting Friday, food trucks will start delivering free meal bags to 13 sites in Omaha and Council Bluffs.
Each meal bag contains five breakfasts and five lunches, including milk and fresh produce, for a total of 10 meals.
The food trucks will deliver meals to each site once a week.
The sites include parking lots of metro area schools and nonprofit organizations. A complete list of "Mobile BackPack" distribution sites and times will be available on FoodBankHeartland.org beginning Friday at 10:30 a.m.
Foodbank officials say about 43 percent of children in Nebraska receive free or reduced-priced school lunches; in some schools, these percentages are higher;