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i-Bites2020-10-20T16:47:47-05:00

Simplifying Service, Bus Delivery, Weekend Adjustments Alter District Food Plan Mitchell Republic, March 23, 2020, author Erik Kaufman

The Mitchell school district of South Dakota began offering free pick up meals to students and anyone under the age of 18 after school districts in the state closed in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. Students could pick up meals at one of the five district school buildings for breakfast and lunch. However, one change being made is reducing the number of entrée selections in an attempt to speed up lines amidst growing concerns over social distancing to reduce the possible
spread of COVID-19. The hope is that fewer entrée selections will lessen bottlenecking at doorways and at meal pick-up points. Administrators cite the example of presenting three meal options to a 7-year-old child, and how much more time it takes that child to decide between three as opposed to two entrée selections. The change will involve a two-bag meal pick up system. One of two lunch entrees will be offered in one bag, with the rest of the meal in a separate bag.

COVID-19 Scare Prompts Minnesota Schools to Get Creative in Feeding Kids Star Tribune, March 29, 2020, author James Walsh

St. Paul Public Schools in Minnesota has enlisted bus drivers to assist in delivering meals to children. Bus drivers deliver a week’s worth of meals every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to their regular bus stops. These meals are available to any family with children, even if they don’t attend district schools. In its first week of bus deliveries, St. Paul distributed more than 68,000 meals, and were projected to deliver as many as 90,000 the following week. Deliveries will continue for as long as children are kept out of school.
Full story, here:

Kettering Backpack Program Keeps Feeding Students During Outbreak Dayton Daily News, April 6, 2020, author Wayne Baker.

This article documents how an already existing program in Ohio has expanded during the COVID-19 crisis to feed students. The program, The Kettering Backpack Program, was created in 2006 to combat weekend hunger for children who receive free/reduced breakfast and lunch while school is in session. When schools were closed across the state, the backpack program’s local food supplier could no longer fill the district’s already due to increased demand, so they adapted to making daily calls to a variety of local grocers, which increased program costs. However, community outpouring to raise money for the program has been significant. Local
businesses have donated nearly $8,000, and Paypal donations continue to pour in.
Full story, here:

Mini-Cassia School Districts Launch Free ‘Grab and Go’ Brown Bag Meals for Children After COVID-19 Closures Magic Valley, March 19, 2020, author Laurie Welch.

In response to school closures amidst the COVID-19 crisis, two Idaho school districts launched a free “Grab and Go” brown bag meal system for all children under the age of 18. The program is an extension of the already existing summer food program, and currently lunch bags contain food options such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cheese sticks, peaches, celery with peanut butter, and a container of milk. School districts say no child will be turned away.
Full story, here:

A Meeting of the Summer Food Service Program Exploratory Task Force

The Summer Food Service Program Exploratory Task Force met on February 19-20, 2020 at the Institute of Child Nutrition.

Purpose:
To provide recommendations to the ICN on the development of a series of educational resources (e.g., fact sheets, tip sheets, resource guides, webinars, videos, and/or posters) that further educate Summer Food Service Programs on best practices that improve their program implementation.

Background:
The SFSP ensures that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session.  SFSPs rely on innovation and collaboration to reach children who need good nutrition when school is out of session, including support in meal preparation and service.

There have been several innovative SFSP resources developed by FNS and ICN to support SFSP operators. While these resources/trainings have been helpful and effective for SFSP operators, there are still training, educational resource, and technical assistance gaps identified by FNS on topics such as SFSP meal pattern requirements, menu planning, meal service, food safety, and offer versus serve requirements.  FNS and ICN propose to expand ICN’s SFSP resource offerings by developing additional resources to address these areas in need of educational resources, training and support.

Project Description:
The goal of the SFSP resource development project is to further support SFPS operators by developing a series of resources.  Topics for these resources may include:

  • Meal Pattern Requirements
  • Planning Healthy Summer Meals
  • Quality Meal Service
  • Food Safety
Group photograph of the Summer Food Service Program Exploratory Task Force. The group met at ICN on February 19-20, 2020.

Row 1 (L to R)
Erin Hoffman: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction
Clarissa Hayes: Food Research and Action Center
Pat Richardson: ICN
Mydina Thabet: USDA FNS

Row 2
Kenya Pennington: USDA FNS
Cynthia Ervin: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction
Elyse Lenaburg: ICN
Janae Owens: ICN

Row 3
Julianna Roberts: County Office of Education, Butte, California
Maci Flautt: ICN
Catherine Nicholson: Texas Hunger Initiative
Pete Wood: Palm Beach County School District, FL
Liz Dixon: ICN

Not Pictured: Carlee McIntosh, Petersburg School District, Alaska

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