Charlottesville Schools Provide Meals During Weather Closures

School district partners with community to ensure families have access to food when classes are canceled.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:55pm

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Despite ongoing winter weather disruptions, Charlottesville City Schools are continuing to distribute free meals to students, ensuring families still have access to food during extended school closures. The school division has turned a school parking lot into a meal distribution site, with food moving from kitchen to car as families arrive. Community partners, including the parks and recreation department, have stepped in to help keep the program running, and meals are also being delivered to families unable to travel to the distribution site.

Why it matters

When schools close due to inclement weather, some families are left without access to the meals students normally receive during the school day. The meal distribution program is designed to meet the community's needs and ensure that no child goes hungry when they are unable to attend school in person.

The details

At Charlottesville Middle School, the meal distribution effort has turned the school's parking lot into a distribution site, with food moving from the kitchen to families' cars as they arrive. Community partners, including the Charlottesville Parks and Recreation department, have stepped in to help keep the program running. For families unable to travel to the distribution site, meals are also being delivered with the help of school board members and other community partners.

  • Classes will remain canceled on January 30, 2026 due to ongoing winter weather.
  • The meal distribution program activates whenever school closures last longer than a single day.

The players

Dr. Royal Gurley

Superintendent of Charlottesville City Schools.

Matt Moffett

Employee with Charlottesville Parks and Recreation, who has helped with the meal distribution effort.

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What they’re saying

“We have to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our community.”

— Dr. Royal Gurley, Superintendent of Charlottesville City Schools

“It feels great to be able to take some warm meals out of the kitchen and bring them to the cars and see the smiles on people's faces.”

— Matt Moffett, Charlottesville Parks and Recreation employee

What’s next

The meal distribution program will continue to operate as long as school closures last longer than a single day.

The takeaway

Charlottesville City Schools' meal distribution program demonstrates the importance of community partnerships and a proactive approach to ensuring families have access to food during weather-related school closures, which can otherwise leave some children without the meals they rely on during the school day.