FARMINGTON, N.M. – Since children are heading out for break, Farmington Municipal Schools is lending a helping hand in the kitchen throughout the holidays.

On Friday, 500 cars lined up at the FMS Central Kitchen to take up the district on the offer. Each family received breakfast and lunch meal kits to last for this entire week.

“We wish we could have done more, but 500 will make a good, good dent in the numbers needed,” said Marie Johnson, FMS Food Student Nutrition Program supervisor. 

Cars pulled up, got to pick a spot, and members from the kitchen loaded them up. 

“They will get four components at breakfast, five components at lunch, heat and serve most of it with instructions in the box,” said Johnson. 

They even threw in something special for the first 100 people to show up.

“Our FFA students at Farmington High have been working really hard in the greenhouse. They have grown leafy greens. So each of those first 100 families that come through will receive a box full of leafy greens to accompany your meals,” Johnson said. 

Johnson says it’s important for the district to help out during this time.

“We just really feel that this is a very, very supportive action from the school district, and all of my colleagues out there to support our families during this time when it’s really hard out there. To provide these meals are just really a support to our families. It’s just really, really important that our students stay nourished, and we want them to remain healthy and well during the school closure time,” said Johnson. 

For folks that missed on the meal kits, the district will hold a second distribution this Friday at Central Kitchen from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, click here.