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ECHO PARK, Calif. – To stop the spread of COVID-19, school districts around Southern California have closed their doors, leaving students in need without breakfast and lunch.

The Los Angeles Dream Center will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. until at least March 28. Families are able to come at any time to receive a free meal.

The Dream Center loves the Los Angeles Unified School District. Eleven-year-old Genesis is sad she won’t be eating lunch at school. She already misses class.

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Her and her cousin Andrew are both LAUSD students who are beginning their long journey of learning from home during the district closures. Genesis is happy to get free lunch from the grab and go facility at the Los Angeles Dream Center that expects to be giving out 5,000 meals per day.

“Yesterday I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner at home, but today I’m having breakfast and lunch here,” said Genesis.

Volunteers package meals and hand them to students like Genesis and Andrew who are excited to see what is inside. They were given hot dogs, iced tea, and snacks. Andrew says this helps families whose parents work a lot and Genesis says some are used to having their kids eat at school.

“Some parents sometimes spend a lot of time doing something else and here they are helping you and giving you food for free,” said Genesis.

Pastor for the center Matthew Barnett says they knew they had to give back to the community in any way they could, so a drive-thru center was created to offer food, while keeping people in and out quickly, to follow social distancing.

“We are able to move people through in a minute and follow the laws. It’s been an unbelievable miracle and keeps us sharp in every way,” said Pastor Matthew.

 

The center has been getting donations from local businesses, national chains like Chick-fil-A and many more. 

“Some of the companies that are shut down for two weeks say, ‘Hey, let’s give it away if we have to be shut down for a couple of weeks,’” said Pastor Matthew.

The Dream Center will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day this week and next. Pastor Matthew says workers had the option to stay home, but many are volunteering their own time to come in and help.

“But you can never underestimate the courage of people when they are up against the odds and children are hungry. They are going to step up every time,” said Pastor Matthew.

Stepping up to give students like Andrew and Genesis a warm meal while school is closed.

For the latest updates on COVID-19 in California visit: coronavirus.gov