The Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign awarded a grant of $120,000 to Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to support the division’s critical work to end childhood hunger. The funds will be used for a much-needed new Office of School Nutrition Services (SNS) refrigerated delivery vehicle with a lift. Delivery of the new truck is expected this summer.
SNS Executive Chef Jason Tepper expressed his gratitude for the funding, saying, “We’re extremely grateful for this gift from Share Our Strength. Our new truck will enable us to meet and serve the needs of our children and community better and more efficiently.” Director of SNS Cynthia Hormel echoed that sentiment. “We are very fortunate! Share Our Strength continues to support our program on so many levels,” she said.
Chef Tepper explained that the school division currently has two older trucks that are showing their age, even as the ACPS transportation department services team maintains them regularly. These vehicles are used to transport products, ingredients, to-go boxes, trays and utensils, among other items needed to produce and serve students in ACPS’s 18 schools, recreation centers and afterschool and summer programs. “Imagine an Amazon fulfillment center — it’s that exciting and demanding,” he added.