In 2019, Ken Croken, his wife, and other local residents began occasionally serving weekend meals at Jefferson, called "Kids Eat Free," but had to stop when the pandemic began. Now kids and families can order food to be picked up on Friday afternoons from refrigerators donated by Zeglin's Home TV and Appliance, and food from Hy-Vee, to insure they get something to eat over the weekend.
"And when we were providing our occasional weekend meals, we would literally get hundreds of people to come. So there's no lack of need and no shortage of people who can use the extra assistance."
Croken says the children attending Jefferson are fed on week days, but there's a huge need for some sort of help on weekends.
Because access to the school is limited by the pandemic, children and parents have to call or text ahead of time so they can take some food home from the Community Refrigerator on Fridays.
The first delivery from Hy-Vee on Friday was 200 half-gallons of milk and 200 dozen eggs.