Bluebird Network LLC, Missouri’s second largest internet service provider to schools, has announced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that it is continuing its dedication to supporting educational facilities and their students with a $5,000 donation to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri’s Buddy Pack program. As distance learning rates rise to enable learning to continue while practicing social distancing, the ability for some students to access meals is being affected. Bluebird’s donation ensures that in-need students can still access the meals they require despite schooling interruptions. 

“With schools closing, the dependence on the distribution of quality food through this program has increased,” said Michael Morey, President and CEO of Bluebird. “As the Buddy Packs continue to serve the students’ nutritional needs, Bluebird continues to serve school districts with its internet service. With this donation, we are helping to keep students fed while keeping their schools connected.”

The Buddy Pack program is one of the many initiatives of The Food Bank organization, providing nutritious meals to children who rely on free or reduced-price lunches. Approximately 7,500 children across 160 schools in the 32-county service area receive food each week through this Buddy Pack program. 

Bluebird has partnered with the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri in the past. In 2016, the company’s staff volunteered their time to help assemble the Buddy Packs, and the company also made a $1,000 monetary donation to further support these efforts. 

To provide support in the wake of this pandemic for educational institutions, healthcare facilities and other businesses that rely on internet capabilities now more than ever, Bluebird is enabling existing customers to temporarily upgrade their internet service to meet any additional network and bandwidth demands (pricing will apply). Bluebird Network and the Bluebird Underground Data Center continue to deliver high standards of broadband infrastructure and data center facilities, enabling customers to leverage peace of mind and focus on the health and safety of their customers and communities.

To learn more about Bluebird Network, please visit www.bluebirdnetwork.com.