SEATTLE — The city of Seattle will begin distributing meals to Seattle Public Schools (SPS) students while an ongoing teacher strike continues to delay the first day of school.
The city is partnering with PTSAs and community groups across the city to hand out meals prepared by the Seattle Public Schools' culinary services team.
Grab-and-go lunches will be available for students and families at nearly 50 locations between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily while the strike continues.
Seattle teachers have been on strike since Wednesday, Sept. 7, which was supposed to be the first day of school for SPS students. The Seattle Education Association (SEA) voted overwhelmingly to authorize the strike over Labor Day weekend.
SEA educators said they are fighting for "student support, reasonable workloads, and respectful pay" from SPS. The union is also negotiating over issues that include staffing ratios for special education and multilingual students.
In an update Sunday, SPS said the two sides had made progress during negotiations with a mediator, but still had not come to an agreement.
"We continue to bargain and remain ready to start school as soon as an agreement is reached," a spokesperson said.
The city is also running eight recreation drop-in sites for school-age students beginning on Monday, Sept. 12. Students from kindergarten through sixth grade will have access to free recreational programs and activities at eight designated community centers from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Families can see locations and register online.
Food distribution locations
- Albert Davis Park – 12526 27th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
- Alki Community Center – 5817 SW Stevens St, Seattle, WA 98116
- B.F Day Playground – 4020 Fremont Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103
- Ballard Com Center/Playground – 6020 28th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
- Ballard Community Center – 6020 28th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
- Be'er Sheva Park – 8650 55th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
- Benefit Playground – 9320 38th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118
- Bitter Lake Community Center – 13035 Linden Avenue N Seattle, WA 98133
- Bitter Lake Playground – N 130th St &, Linden Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133
- Brighton Playfield – 6000 39th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118
- Cedarvale House & Village – 11050 8th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- Dahl Playground – 7700 25th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115
- E.C. Hughes Playground – 2805 SW Holden St, Seattle, WA 98126
- East Queen Anne Playground – 1912 Warren Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
- Genesee Play and Playfield – 4316 S Genesee St, Seattle, WA 98118
- Green Lake Park Playground – 7201 East Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA 98115
- Hiawatha Playfield – 2700 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
- High Point Community Center – 6920 34th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126
- Highland Park Playground – 1100 SW Cloverdale St, Seattle, WA 98106
- Hutchinson Playground – 59th Ave. S & S Norfolk St., Seattle, WA 98118
- Jackson Park House & Village – 14396 30th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- Jefferson Community Center – 3801 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
- Jefferson Park Playground – 3801 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
- Jimi Hendrix Park – 2400 S Massachusetts St, Seattle, WA 98144
- Licton Springs Park – 9536 Ashworth Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
- Loyal Heights Playfield – 2101 NW 77th St, Seattle, WA 98117
- Madrona Park Playground – 3211 E Spring St, Seattle, WA 98122
- Magnolia Playground – 2518 34th Ave. W, Seattle, WA 98199
- Maple Leaf Playground – 1020 NE 82nd St, Seattle, WA 98115
- Maple Wood Playfield – 4801 Corson Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
- Marra-Desimone Park – 9026 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
- Meadowbrook Community Center – 10517 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
- Meadowbrook Park Playground – 10533 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
- Montlake Community Center – 1618 E Calhoun St, Seattle, WA 98112
- Mt. Baker Park (By Pickleball and Tennis Courts) – Lake Park Dr S, Seattle, WA 98144
- Northacres Park – 12718 1st Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
- Pinehurst Pocket Park – 11700 19th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
- Pratt Park – 201 20th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144
- Puget Ridge Playground – 6029 21st Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98106
- Rainier Beach Community Center – 8825 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
- Ravenna Parks – 5520 Ravenna Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
- Rogers Playground – 2516 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
- Roxhill Park – 2850 SW Roxbury St, Seattle, WA 98126
- Soundview Playfield – 1590 NW 90th St, Seattle, WA 98117
- Southwest Teen Life Center / Pool – 2801 SW Thistle St, Seattle, WA 98126
- TT Minor Playground – 1698 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122
- Volunteer Park – 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
- Warren G. Magnuson Park Playground – 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115