The food boxes include “necessary food components for breakfast, lunch and snack for five days” that follow the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) meal pattern for children, the press release said.
Woodruff Farm in Urbana has helped provide milk for the food boxes.
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“It just made sense to support another local small business especially in these challenging times,” Whitacre said in the press release.
Enrolled families have been able to pick up the weekly food boxes since April 24.
In their first weekly boxes, Smart Start Academy Child Care & Learning Center included over 90 gallons of milk, the press release said. The number of food boxes distributed has continued to increase.
An educational component is also included in the food boxes.
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“To know that all of the children enrolled at our locations are receiving at least two meals and a snack each day is very comforting,” Becky Ortiz, an administrator at the daycare said in the press release. “We have great parents who do everything they can for their children, but everyone needs a little bit of help every once in a while.”
Childcare providers are permitted to reopen on Sunday, May 31, but the owners are still discussing when Smart Start Academy Child Care & Learning Center will reopen, according to Ortiz.
“I know we have a lot of families that are nervous about coming back that soon,” Ortiz said. “There’s a lot of factors that are going to play into it.”
Smart Start Academy Child Care & Learning Center has two locations in Springfield - 2105 Kenton St. and 444 West Harding Road.
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