Starting Monday, the district will close 11 meal distribution sites where fewer students have been picking up free breakfasts and lunches. Those sites will be consolidated with nearby locations.
Since the statewide announcement of schools closing until April 15 as part of an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Lake County students have been able to get a free lunch daily along with a breakfast for the next day at all non-charter public schools except Lake Hills, and also at Minneola and Mascotte charter schools. Spring Creek Charter recently began distributing meals as well. So have a few other non-school locations in north Lake.
Meals are offered to children up to age 18 at any of the participating locations, regardless of where the children are enrolled.
This week, the district provided a total of 51,862 meals to students. But some locations saw more foot traffic than others. Based on those numbers, the following locations will close for meal distribution as of Monday, March 30: Rimes Early Learning & Literacy Center; Clermont, Oak Park, Tavares and Umatilla middle schools; and East Ridge, Eustis, Lake Minneola, Mount Dora, Tavares and Umatilla high schools.
We will continue to distribute meals at all other non-charter schools, except Lake Hills and the 11 sites closing on Monday. Distribution will continue at Mascotte, Minneola and Spring Creek charter schools as well.
The chart below shows nearby alternatives to the sites that will close:
| CLOSED AS OF MARCH 30 | ALTERNATIVES |
| Clermont Middle | Cypress Ridge Elem. or Clermont Elem. |
| Mount Dora High | Mount Dora Middle or Sorrento Elem. |
| Oak Park Middle | Leesburg Elem. or Leesburg High |
| Tavares High | Tavares Elem. or Triangle Elem. |
| Umatilla Middle | Umatilla Elem. or Eustis Heights Elem. |
| Umatilla High | Umatilla Elem. or Eustis Heights Elem. |
| East Ridge High | East Ridge Middle or Lost Lake Elem. |
| Eustis High | Eustis Middle or Eustis Elem. |
| Lake Minneola High | Minneola Charter or Grassy Lake Elem. |
| Rimes Early Learning & Literacy Center | Carver Middle or Beverly Shores Elem. |
| Tavares Middle | Tavares Elem. or Astatula Elem. |
