Local districts honored as Child Hunger Heroes
Courtesy of Amy Keeler
The Brownsville Area School District鈥檚 middle school staff serves meals with a smile each day. From left are Tammy Riley, Bernadette Smith, Pam Gresh, Traci Zaccagnini and Sandy Zosky.
Courtesy of Amy Keeler
The Brownsville Area School District cafeteria staff this month was granted the silver Child Hunger Hero award by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. The high school staff, from left, are Marcy Miske, Carmela Wellington, Becky George and Karen Bayne.
Courtesy of Amy Keeler
The dedication of the elementary cafeteria staff at Brownsville Area School District is one reason the district was recently awarded the food bank鈥檚 silver Child Hunger Hero award. From left are Arlene Hormell, Helen Velosky, Sandy Jones, Sherri Sterbutzel and Deanna Stump.
Courtesy of Nicolle Pleil
From left, Reily McAndrews, Ryan Bazant, Nicolle Pleil, and Frank Pleil accept the gold Child Hunger Hero award from Mara Babylia, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Child Nutrition Advocate, far right. Among Trinity School District鈥檚 initiatives are free meals to all students, including dinner, a summer food program and two food pantries.
Food insecurity is an ongoing issue in Southwestern Pennsylvania, one local school districts are working to combat.
This month, Trinity Area and Brownsville Area School Districts were granted the gold and silver Child Hunger Hero awards, respectively. The award was presented for the first time this year by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
鈥淲e used to give an award called the Crystal Apple Award. That award got phased out,鈥� said Karen Dryer, Director of Child Nutrition Programs for the GPCFB. The last two years have been especially trying on families, and Dryer said the food bank saw firsthand how hard districts and local organizations worked to feed the community鈥檚 youth.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e unsung heroes. People don鈥檛 think about what they do, all the ways they go above and beyond. We see the work and we know what difference it makes in kids鈥� lives. We wanted to celebrate that.鈥�
Last summer, the GPCFB announced submissions for a new award would open in September. Those interested could submit applications for the first Child Hunger Hero award through the food bank鈥檚 website.
鈥淏eginning in November, our team reviewed the applications,鈥� said Dryer. Among those applicants who stood out was Trinity Area School District.
鈥淣icolle (Pleil), their food service director, is astounding,鈥� said Dryer. 鈥淪he鈥檚 just always willing to try new things. She鈥檚 willing to be flexible. She鈥檚 willing to make sure any child who meets program requirements can get meals. They just do so many things.鈥�
What sent Trinity soaring from the silver category into the gold were the school food pantries 鈥� one at the middle and one at the high school 鈥� Pleil opened.
鈥淲hen I first started here eight years ago, we only had breakfast and lunch,鈥� said Pleil. 鈥淣ow we have a dinner program, a summer program. We support a backpack program and two pantries. We鈥檙e everywhere.鈥�
The district offers three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. In March 2020, Pleil said, Congress offered waivers to school districts, making all meals free to all students.
鈥淲hen kids stay after school for any activity at all, whether it鈥檚 tutoring, right now we have play practice, track practice, all they have to do is come to the cafeteria (for dinner),鈥� said Pleil, who noted parts of the district are food insecure.
鈥淩ight now, we are at 42% free and reduced,鈥� she said, adding the number may be higher since many families did not apply for food assistance in 2020 or 2021. Pleil said it鈥檚 disappointing Congress did not extend the food waiver, which ends in June, considering the rising cost of food and record-breaking cost of gas.
But she and her staff are doing all they can to feed the community, including stocking the district鈥檚 food pantries and hosting its annual summer food program.
Trinity partners with the Salvation Army, Vision to Learn (which provides free eyeglasses to enrolled students) and Cornerstone Care, which offers free dental screenings.
鈥淲e offer services outside of just eating. We鈥檙e not just a source of child nutrition, but also child wellness,鈥� Pleil said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e helping to tie the community back to the school, where the school offers so much more than just education. We have health services, tutoring services, athletics, activities. Food sort of ties everything together.鈥�
Food brings the Brownsville community together, too. The district was recognized with a silver Child Hunger Hero award for its commitment to health and nutrition.
鈥淎my Keeler, she has the know-how. She motivates her staff well,鈥� said Dryer. 鈥淭hrough COVID 鈥� she didn鈥檛 even have a full staff, but she worked with the staff she had to do grab-and-go meals. Amy just has the perfect mix of experience, care for the kids.鈥�
Since Keeler began as the district鈥檚 food service director in 2013, she has expanded its offerings.
鈥淭he community eligibility provision program, I implemented that,鈥� said Keeler. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 take any lunch or breakfast money from anyone. They all are at no charge.鈥�
The district applies for the provision program, which is awarded based on the district鈥檚 overall socioeconomic status. Keeler also oversees an after-school snack program and the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables program, which introduces younger students to healthy foods they may not have access to at home.
Elementary teachers and guidance counselors assist Keeler with the Food for Falcons backpack program.
鈥淭hat is not a federal or state program. That is just a local initiative that a couple of teachers actually spearheaded,鈥� said Keeler. 鈥淭hey give them a backpack with some shelf stable food to cover the gap between the meals that they get on Friday and Monday here at school.鈥�
In the summer months, Brownsville district hosts a summer food program. Community members 18 and younger are welcome to take a meal, no questions asked.
鈥淲e try our best to keep them fed as much as we can,鈥� Keeler said. 鈥淲e have a lot of kids who have food insecurity issues. We try to do what we can to help the kids.鈥�
The efforts of Pleil, Keeler and others often goes unnoticed, which is why the districts are honored to receive the first Child Hunger Hero awards.
鈥淐afeteria ladies are usually behind the scenes,鈥� said Keeler. 鈥淲e were very flattered and honored to be recognized for the efforts. Working through COVID was pretty challenging. We were serving kids seven days a week. It was quite challenging and unlike anything we鈥檝e ever experienced before. I鈥檓 really proud of our team of food service workers.鈥�
Pleil agreed that teamwork has pulled her staff through these last two years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of hours, running all these programs. With the food shortage, the labor shortage, we鈥檝e really been struggling with all aspects of what we do,鈥� said Pleil. 鈥淲e have some wonderful workers on our team. Without that team support, I don鈥檛 know what we would do.鈥�