Sheridan students fed 750,000 meals in year
Sheridan School District staff and food service partner Chartwells K12 worked to safely prepare, cook, pack and distribute 750,000 meals to area children during the covid-19 pandemic.
The meals were served during the past 12 months, said Tiffany Reed, director of dining services for Chartwells K12 at Sheridan district.
The district and Chartwells are providing free meals for students learning at school and remotely for the remainder of the academic year and into the summer months.
“One reason we have been able to serve so many students is that we offered a delivery option for families who were not able to pick up meals in our drive-thru,” Reed said. “Volunteers from the Grant County Ministerial alliance and Grace Church in East End have been instrumental in making sure we are able to serve all children in need of meals by delivering food boxes to their homes.”
The district has not only provided free meals on instructional days, but also provided free meals through the summer months, holiday breaks, weekends and spring break. Funding for the meals has been made available to school districts through waivers granted through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“I don’t think any of us knew quite what to expect when
schools shut down last year,” said Jerrod Williams, superintendent for Sheridan School District. “While it’s been difficult, the silver lining of this pandemic is that it showed us what an incredible community we have here. Our teachers, staff, parents, volunteers, and food service team came together and focused on feeding kids and supporting our community, and for that, we are so grateful.”
Since the onset of the pandemic, Chartwells K12 has worked with Sheridan district and thousands of other schools to ensure students across the country don’t go hungry. To date, Chartwells K12 has served more than 275 million meals during covid-19.
“Our number one priority is making sure we are feeding kids and keeping them happy and healthy, no matter where they are,” said Reed. “As more students return to school, we’re prepared to serve them safely and for those who stay home, they can depend on us for their next meal.”