Moniteau awarded for food service program
CHERRY TWP — Moniteau School District held a ceremony for its food service department on Monday, Nov. 3, to celebrate receiving a Child Hunger Hero award from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
“It's an award program that basically is a way to say thank you to school districts and other community partners who really go above and beyond feeding kids, whether it be in school or outside of school,” said Katherine Wotus, child nutrition outreach coordinator for the food bank.
The recipients of the award were announced on Oct. 14. Of the 55 school districts and other community organizations awarded by the food bank at any of three levels, Moniteau School District is one of only two recipients from Butler County. The other, Freeport Area School District, straddles both Butler and Armstrong counties.
“The award measures partner engagement and recognizes outstanding achievement in programs that improve young people’s food security,” Wotus said. “(This includes) school meals, summer meals, after-school meals and weekend backpack and school pantry programs.”
One of its programs is the “Weekend Power Pack” program offered by Dassa McKinney Elementary, which entitles participating students to two days’ worth of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The meals are distributed in bags each Friday before students depart for the weekend.
“Every Friday morning we deliver them to the homerooms and the children take them home on Friday afternoon,” said Carrie Plecher, Moniteau’s director of food service.
Moniteau also participates in the National School Lunch Program’s Community Eligibility Provision program.
“Every student in our district gets two free meals ... one breakfast and one lunch, regardless of their income, for every day of the school year,” Plecher said. “We also have a pantry up here at the high school that the students can get clothing and food if they’re in need.”
