Volunteers from the Fork Real Cafe and Fountain Springs Community Church are in the process of delivering free meals to nearly 1,500 school staff members as schools prepare to start classes on Sept. 8.
Katy Urban, Rapid City Area Schools spokeswoman, said the volunteers are "doing this to show their appreciation for the work that school staff do, especially during this challenging time" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rhonda Pearcy, executive director at Fork Real Cafe, previously taught at Wilson Elementary and said she remembers parents who provided meals in the past at the beginning of the school year for teachers.
Pearcy said she wanted to "bless the schools" as teachers returned to their schools.