Grand Rapids Public Schools
It takes a team to feed students and the Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) nutrition staff has pulled together to make a great one. With a positive attitude and a mission of providing nutritious meals, the team has continued to adjust to meet the needs of GRPS students. The nutrition staff did an excellent job of implementing the “Grab N’ Go” model to provide meals to
the students in a short turn-around time due to the abrupt nature of school closures in March. Food Service Supervisors coordinated the efforts of the production team, drivers, cooks, suppliers, district administrators, and volunteers to implement the initial start-up.
The supervisors recognize the dedication of cooks and support staff who have been present each day and who continuously accept additional responsibilities to ensure meal access to students. The team also recognizes the outstanding volunteer support from teachers, administrators, School Public Safety/Security, and the community at large. They are thankful for the support received to maintain a sustainable feeding program for the students and give a special shout out to the GRPS Public Safety/Security Department who have supported Nutrition Services since the beginning of school closures.
Families are very appreciative of the healthy meals provided by the School Nutrition team and the staff also appreciates the kindness shown by the families and students. The team at City High School says, “One of the things that touched our hearts during this pandemic is the love that the kids have for the crew serving meals. The kids brought pictures that they drew at home and asked if we could hang them on our refrigerator in our school kitchens. Kindness like that is what keeps our team excited about serving meals and it’s great to see the students during this time.”
As Grand Rapids Public Schools continue to have all students learning remotely, meals are available at various sites throughout the district. Information about the feeding sites can be found on the GRPS website here.
