Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Director reports on food service program
FAYETTEVILLE — The School Board received a report Thursday on the reach of the district’s food service program.
Ally Mrachek, child nutrition director, said the district has provided continuous food service since March 16, noting a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has made it feasible for the district to feed anyone 18 or younger this school year.
Participating youth don’t have to attend school in the district to take advantage of the meals, Mrachek said.
“It’s reassuring,” said Nika Waitsman, board president, of meeting the needs
of potentially food insecure families in the region.
Average daily participation in the program includes serving 1,375 breakfasts, 2,650 lunches and 80 snacks, according to presentation documents.
Mrachek said that’s a 35% decrease for breakfast, 40% for lunch and 70% for snacks compared to last school year.
She attributes the decrease to lower district enrollment for the year, the introduction of online learning for some students, limited afterschool programming and online learning days in which the entire district learns remotely while schools are deep cleaned.
“I have a program set for 10,500 kids, but we’re about 10,100 right now,” Mrachek said.
The district has served 2,137 snacks, 75,567 lunches and 36,971 breakfast since school started through Oct. 9, Mrachek said.
“We are a food assistance program,” Mrachek said. “This is really just showcasing the need for our program.”
Megan Hurley, board vice president, said the food service program is doing what no one else in the region can through its efforts.
“It’s one more place where
public schools are doing the work of the nation,” she said.
The district has received about $145,000 in grants from several different organizations, including Walmart and No Kid Hungry, to help with program funding during the pandemic, she said.
The district has also applied for a second No Kid Hungry grant for $143,000 and is awaiting feedback on its approval Mrachek said.
No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, a Washington, D.C.,- based nonprofit organization that’s working to end hunger and poverty, according to the organization’s
website.
Grant funds went toward purchasing equipment and emergency- specific items like food tray sealers, trays, single-use utensils and food containers, according to presentation documents.
A new freezer truck purchased with grant funds has allowed the district to set up a location in which families using the virtual learning model can pick up meals, Mrachek said.
“That was a huge game changer,” she said.
Accessing the meal program can be a challenge for families with students attending school online who don’t have the means to drive to the school, Mrachek said.
The district has partnered with Camp War Eagle to help meet this need, which is providing three volunteers to help drive meals to families who benefit from the service, she said.
Mrachek said she hopes providing universal free meals to the community will continue after the pandemic.
“The rest of our public education is free, and it has always been kind of a curiosity to me as to why meals are not free,” she said, adding maintaining the service would truly make the district a community resource.