The Vicksburg Warren School District, beginning Wednesday, will provide one breakfast and one lunch to children throughout Warren County — not just those who attend school within the District.

The program, which is closely modeled after the District’s summer program, is part of the response to the extended school system closure due to the threat of the spreading COVID-19 virus.

District spokesperson Christi Kilroy said combining the forces of the District’s child nutrition program and its transportation system gives it the chance to reach each child in the county.

The program, which is for all children ages 18 years old and younger, will be providing the meals beginning Wednesday and continue until students are allowed to return to school

Meals will be transported to children at each of the District’s bus stops that are normally used to pick up children. The window for deliveries is set for between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“We don’t know yet as far as timing,” Kilroy said. “We are assuming, that if this gets extended, that we will get better at it as we go.”

The meals — which will include one lunch for that day, and one breakfast for the following morning — will be created by the District’s child nutrition program.

“We would ask that the meals be refrigerated within 30 minutes of being received,” she said, adding the meals would be provided each day — Monday through Friday.

To receive the meals, children will need to be present at the bus stops they normally use to catch the bus. Those delivering the meals would then check off the students who receive the meals at that point.

For those children who do not ride the bus, there is a list of bus stops on the District’s website at www.vwsd.org/transportation. Those who do not normally ride the bus can sign up online using a Google form on the website. The form can be found at https://forms.gle/4bxQELhbxHz7L9RL8.

She also asked motorists to be aware of bus stops that are on busy thoroughfares and to use caution due to the fact there may be a large number of children at particular bus stops.

At this point, Kilroy did not know how many meals would be provided, but that the District would work to meet the demand.

She also added that a menu for the program was not yet available at this time.