At Shippensburg Area School District, a rural district in Central Pennsylvania, school nutrition staff are making sure that kids have access to nutritious meals, even when school is out. Using a grab-n-go drive-through model, this district is tackling summer food insecurity and making a difference in students’ and families’ lives.
The district originally piloted non-congregate service during the pandemic, and decided to continue the program after seeing a significant increase in summer meal participation. Despite the high poverty rate in the community, participation in summer meals had historically been low. In a district that serves a rural, farming community, transportation to and from congregate meals sites each day was a major barrier – one that their grab-n-go service has helped to alleviate. Families are able to pick up meals between 3:30 and 5:30 pm; when service end time is coming close, nutrition staff call families who have not yet come to make sure that they are able to pick up their meals. This level of dedication shows the commitment that staff have to their students and families, and families clearly appreciate it.
Each week, families are asked to sign up for meals through a Google Form to ensure the right amount of meals are prepared. This system helps to minimize food waste, while making sure that every family gets what they need. Grab-n-go meals are distributed on Thursdays, covering kids’ meals for Friday through Sunday, while traditional congregate meals are available the rest of the week.
One key element of the program’s success is simple: the meals they provide are familiar and tasty. With their summer 2024 No Kid Hungry grant, they were able to purchase new packaging equipment for their meals. Meals are packaged in plastic containers with internal dividers, and sealed with tight, thin plastic – making them easy to stack for easy storage, freeze, and reheat in the oven or microwave and increasing their capacity. For busy families, these time-saving meals are an important resource to make sure their kids are getting the nutrition they need. School nutrition staff include many familiar favorites from the school year menu, like broccoli and cheese rice bakes and lasagna roll-ups, as well as including sides of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The staff at Shippensburg are constantly looking for ways to improve and refine their program; and by listening to families’ needs they are making a significant impact on the lives of children in their community.