Central Consolidated Schools announce free meal boxes for winter break
Central Consolidated Schools announced on Dec. 8 it will distribute free meal boxes to students on Monday, Dec. 22 at three sites across the district. The effort aims to reduce food insecurity for families during the holiday break, with supplies available while they last.
Central Consolidated School District announced Dec. 8 that it will distribute free meal boxes to students on Monday, Dec. 22, to help families during winter break. Distribution will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shiprock High School, Kirtland Central and Newcomb High School, with supplies available while they last.
Each student age 18 or younger who is present in line may receive two boxes. Each pair of boxes contains 10 breakfasts, 10 lunches, one gallon of milk and one quart of milk and is intended to cover meals from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2. No registration is required and families may pick up boxes at any of the three sites regardless of which school their children attend.
The announcement highlights ongoing needs in the district. Central Consolidated Schools reported 450 students identified as experiencing homelessness in spring 2024 through the district McKinney Vento liaison. That number underscores why a concentrated food distribution during the school break can matter for families who rely on school meals during the academic year.
Providing packaged meals before a long break is a common strategy for school systems to sustain food access when cafeterias are closed. For families in San Juan County who face transportation, work schedule or housing instability challenges, the meal boxes aim to reduce the immediate strain of securing breakfast and lunch for children when school is not in session.
Local food service officials ask families to plan pickups within the posted hours and to expect supplies to run out if demand exceeds available boxes. For additional details families may contact Central Consolidated School District Food Service or the district office.
Beyond the immediate assistance, the distribution highlights broader policy questions about year round food support for students and the capacity of local safety nets to reach households during school breaks. For the week of Dec. 22, the meal boxes will provide measurable relief to hundreds of students and represent a targeted response to food insecurity in the county.
