Students in the Palmerton Area School District will be able to continue getting meals through Aug. 7.

The district began offering meals on March 16 after schools closed due to COVID-19, but with the school year drawing to a close, many parents were hopeful the program would continue into the summer.

“We were able to secure additional funds through the SHINE program and that will pay for the labor costs to continue feeding the students through Aug. 7,” Rose Levan, Palmerton’s food services director, said on Tuesday.

Palmerton currently has two pickup days, Monday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Towamensing Elementary, S.S. Palmer Elementary and the high school. Students who choose to participate get three breakfast and lunch meals on Monday and an additional two on Thursday to carry them through the rest of the week.

“Our pickup days and hours will remain the same in the summer,” Levan said, “except we will not be having the high school pickup location. It will just be the two elementary schools. Our staff has worked really hard and I really appreciate their efforts.”

The program has had a consistent turnout since starting in mid-March. On average, it serves around 80 students each day at Towamensing, 40 at the high school and 135 at S.S. Palmer. The past two months have included some surprises. The Hershey Company, for example, donated 500 ice cream cones, which were distributed to students over several pickup days.

“I’ve been there at different times and at different locations, and I can tell the families are very appreciative,” Dr. Alan Lonoconus, interim superintendent, said of the program.