On Wednesday, April 22, the City of Joensuu distributed approximately 4,300 food bags to online learning students. The distribution was done in ten different schools and it was a great success. Crowding did not happen at any point and the distribution went smoothly in all respects. Thanks for this to all the guardians and people picking up the food, the instructions had been read well in advance.

The food distribution will continue on Wednesday, April 29. The food distribution is intended for those who have registered in advance for the distribution. A record number of people picking up the bags are coming, as more than 5,200 school food bags have been ordered. The city urges the people picking up the food bags to be careful in traffic so that there are no accidents in the vicinity of the pick-up schools. People are coming by car, bike, and on foot. Please also adhere to the stated pick up times. There are enough school food bags for everyone who has ordered a bag on time. The school bags must be picked up on the actual pick up date and cannot be obtained later.

The city has received mainly positive feedback on the contents of the school food bag. Families have been pleased that they do not have to prepare their own food, because for one reason or another not everyone has the opportunity to do so. As the distribution takes place only once a week (to reduce the risk of infection), the food must also be stored long enough. Therefore, school food bags do not contain food prepared by Polkka Oy itself, but have been replaced by meals prepared by industry. It is not possible to deliver other types of school food bags.

The city of Joensuu also distributes school food bags to students who have allergies, thus having their own allergy diet. According to previously published newsletters and instructions on the website, allergy diets are distributed three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m.

Due to Labour Day, there will be no special diet distribution on Friday, May 1, 2020. A replacement distribution will be held on Monday, May 4, 2020 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., during when the Monday - Wednesday meals for week 19 will be available for pickup.

More information on school food distribution can be found at: https://www.joensuu.fi/korona/kouluruokajakelu.

Pick-up of school food bags 29.4. – instructions

• The city of Joensuu will distribute food bags on Wednesday 29.4. for online learning students. Food bags are only distributed to those who have registered in advance.

• About 5,200 school food bags were ordered by the deadline
• The most important instructions related to school food distribution can be found at: https://www.joensuu.fi/korona/kouluruokajakelu

Food bag pickup times

• The largest schools, i.e. the schools of Noljakka, Pataluoto, Karsikko, Nepenmäki and Niittylahti, have a pick-up time between 1 pm and 5 pm
• In smaller schools, i.e. Tuupovaara, Heinävaara, Eno, Uimaharju and Pyhäselkä, the pick-up time is between 2 pm and 4 pm
• The person picking up the food bag must pick up the food from the school that they have registered to pick the food bag from.

Staggered pick-up times at Noljakka, Pataluoto, Karsikko, Nepenmäki and Niittylahti schools

The city recommends that, if possible, food bags be picked up at the largest schools at staggered times based on the first initial of the student's last name:

• from 1 pm to 2 pm those whose surname begins with the letters A-H
• from 2 pm to 3 pm those whose surname begins with the letters I-M
• from 3 pm to 4 pm, those whose surname begins with the letters N-R
• from 4 pm to 5 pm, those whose surname begins with the letters S-Ö

Picking up the food bag

• School food bag pick-up points are located outdoors
• There are separate pick-up points for walkers and cyclists and separate drive-in pick-up points for drivers, where you can drive by and get the bag directly to the car.
• Do not get out of the car in the drive-in line
• Allergy foods are picked up on foot from their own points
• At all pick-up points, you must state the student's name and the school where the student is enrolled. School-specific arrival and pick-up instructions can be found at https://www.joensuu.fi/korona/kouluruokajakelu
• In general, those coming to pick up the food bags are recommended to come to the school on foot or by bike, as heavy car traffic easily crowds school environments and in addition, parking space near schools may be limited.

Hygiene and safety

• The food bag can only be picked up when you are completely healthy.
• Everyone must ensure appropriate safety distances to each other (at least 2 m).
• Food can be picked up by a student or, for example, a guardian, grandparent or neighbor. It is hoped that one person will pick up the food of several students at the same time.
• Those picking up the food are encouraged to be patient, and to set aside plenty of time for picking up the food bags.
• You must leave the area immediately after receiving the food bag. In the largest schools, this is very important because there are a lot of people picking up food bags on site.
• The person picking up the food must take care of hand hygiene before and after picking up the food bag. There is no hand contact between the person giving out food bags and the person picking up the food bags.

Storing the food at home

• At home, the food should be stored at refrigerator temperature according to the packaging instructions.
• Before eating, check the product information on the packaging for food restrictions
• Enjoy the food in order of its date

If no one in your family, neighbor or relative is able to pick up the food bag, contact Hanna Seppänen on weekdays from 8 am to 2 pm, tel. +358 50 312 4490. Contacts by phone only. For more information on school food delivery, visit: https://www.joensuu.fi/korona/kouluruokajakelu

How to get meals in future school food distributions?

You only need to register once for school food distribution. If you have not already registered, you can get in by contacting Hanna Seppänen on weekdays from 8 am to 2 pm, tel. +358 50 312 4490. Contacting by calling only. It is no longer possible to register for Wednesday’s 6.5 school food distribution because the food order has already been placed. You can register for the Wednesday 13.5. distribution until Thursday 30.4. 10 a.m. Late registrants cannot be added to the coming week’s meal distribution.

Note! Students studying in the North Karelia Adult Education Center Riveria are not a part of the school food distribution.