KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Missouri, Public Schools is temporarily suspending its meal distribution service over "public health concerns," the district announced Monday evening.
A KCPS nutrition services employee "has a presumed positive case of COVID-19," the district said.
KCPS has alerted the KCMO Health Department about the worker's positive test and several other employees are self-quarantining.
The suspension, which goes into effect Tuesday, was spurred by the case and "the public health concerns of putting numerous KCPS employees, students and families together," according to a statement from KCPS.
KCPS had been providing meal service to students with schools closed to fight the spread the COVID-19.
Many children relied on school for free breakfast and lunch during the week, so KCPS said it did not make the decision to suspend service lightly.
"This was not an easy decision," the district said in a statement. "We understand that many of our families depend on school meals to help meet the nutritional needs of their children."
KCPS families who need food are encouraged to use the Harvesters website and Uncover KC to find an interactive maps of local food pantries and other distribution sites.
KCPS has also compiled a list of other places families can access food.
The district said it would relaunch meal distribution as soon as it is safe to do so.
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