P.E.I. to deliver meals to families facing challenges amid COVID-19 school closures

P.E.I. will be delivering meals to struggling families while schools are closed due to COVID-19.

The Department of Social Development and Housing will provide meals for children and deliver them to their family's home between Jan. 5 and 7. The program may be extended if the closures continue for longer.

Schools in P.E.I. will move to online learning until at least Jan. 10 amid the current surge in COVID-19 cases. Remote learning will begin Jan. 5.

The program is meant to be an alternative to the current school lunch program. It's part of a series of supportsoutlinedby Premier Dennis King on a COVID-19briefing on Thursday.

Two deliveries are scheduled for next week, with each delivery providing three meals.

The province said any familyfacing food insecurity is eligible to receive the meals. The children must be able to consume solid food.

It said arrangements can also be made so they are delivered to child-care locations or workplaces, if necessary.

Meals will be delivered between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. For safety reasons, the province requires someone to accept the meal at the address.

People can apply to the program on the province's website.