Houston ISD will resume food distribution at its campuses next week, ending a brief suspension of the effort over concerns about worker safety, district officials announced Wednesday.

HISD staff and volunteers will host five daily food pickup points on Monday and Tuesday, then four sites on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, district officials said. Families are expected to receive about 30 pounds of food supplied by the Houston Food Bank via curbside pickup. Each site will have 500 boxes available.

The announcement comes a week after Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan suspended food distribution at the district’s campuses, citing a volunteer at Welch Middle School’s pickup location who was in contact with an individual who had tested positive for COVID-19.

“There were some concerns because some of our staff members (at Welch) moved from site to site,” Lathan said Wednesday. “There were a lot of unknowns, a lot of questions, and we wanted to make sure we had a handle on it.”

Lathan said food now will be packaged at the district’s nutrition services administration building, then sent to campuses for pickup by families. Staff and volunteers handling food also will be provided personal protection equipment, including face masks and gloves, she said.

Districts across Greater Houston have been providing food and meals to families for the past three weeks amid the indefinite closure of schools due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

About 5,000 families were picking up food from HISD campuses each day prior to the suspension, double the number that will be served next week, district officials said. Unlike all other local districts, HISD provides about a week’s worth of food to families, as opposed to meals designed only for children.

HISD administrators had directed families to pick up lunches from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department’s community centers during the suspension, though figures provided by the city suggests few families made the transition. District officials also recommended families seek out pantries and other providers of free food.

Houston Food Bank President and CEO Brian Greene said schools have been among the best distribution points for families in need during the pandemic. The economic toll of widespread business shutdowns, furloughs and layoffs has led to unprecedented demand for food, he said.

“The beauty of HISD is they can handle large numbers of people at one time,” Greene said. “We’re thrilled to have those sites open again.”

HISD enrolls about 210,000 students, roughly 80 percent of whom are considered “economically disadvantaged” by the state.

Lathan also said Wednesday that administrators are evaluating how the district would re-open campuses in May if public health concerns subside. She said her recommendation likely would involve staff returning first, with students gradually returning based on their grade levels. For now, all Texas schools must remain closed through April under an order issued Tuesday by Gov. Greg Abbott.

More Information Where to get food in HISD Houston ISD officials released to following dates, times and locations for food distribution next week. Each site will give out up to 500 boxes of food, each weighing about 30 pounds. For a map of locations, click here. Monday, April 6 Milby High School, 9 a.m. Wesley Elementary School, 9 a.m. Revere Middle School, 11 a.m. Madison High School, 11 a.m. Northside High School, 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 7 McReynolds Middle School, 9 a.m. Bastian Elementary School, 9 a.m. Wisdom High School, 11 a.m. Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center, 3 p.m. Sterling High School, 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 Yates High School, 9 a.m. Mading Elementary School, 9 a.m. North Forest High School, 11 a.m. Sharpstown High School, 3 p.m. Thursday, April 9 Chavez High School, 9 a.m. Black Middle School, 9 a.m. Furr High School, 11 a.m. Benavidez Elementary School, 3 p.m. Friday, April 10 Kashmere High School, 9 a.m. Woodson PK-5, 9 a.m. Henry Middle School, 11 a.m. Westbury High School, 3 p.m.

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Lathan added that she plans to video conference with high school principals this week to discuss options for graduation ceremonies, including in-person gatherings later this summer or virtual events.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com