West Orange Schools Continue To Keep Students Fed Amid Pandemic

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following article comes courtesy of the West Orange Public School District. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

As the West Orange School District heads into its eleventh month of pandemic protocols and operations, food service provider Maschio’s has continued to go above and beyond in its service to the schools and extended community.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic we have been distributing Grab n Go meals, and since September we have been distributing from the seven elementary schools on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am-2pm,” said newly-appointed Maschio’s Food Service Director Lori Cragle. "In October we started distributing meals on Friday to cover the weekend as well.”

From March-October, 2020, most of the meals provided were cold except for Friday, when frozen pizza to be heated at home was provided. In November Maschio’s received a sealing machine that allowed more pre-cooked frozen meals to be heated at home. Various entrees were distributed, including pasta with meat sauce, chicken lo mein, chicken tenders with fries, chicken fajitas, turkey taco and roasted chicken with corn. The current plan is for distribution to continue in this manner through June, 2021. Students in the hybrid learning program will pick up meals on their way home.

From March 23-Dec. 22, Maschio’s provided 473,432 meals through a USDA funded program that stated that any child 18 years or younger was able to receive these meals free of charge regardless of their lunch application status. In addition, Toni’s Kitchen in Montclair distributed bulk food boxes at Washington and Hazel with Maschio’s each Friday. The Holy Trinity-West Orange Food Pantry also provided food to the school district and many school families received additional groceries from them at no cost.

Cragle has been involved in Food Services since 2004 and served as Food Service Manager from 2017-20. She spent 17 years in the retail field as a Store Director for Toys R Us in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. She worked her way up the corporate ladder at Sodexo and joined the Maschio’s team when they took over food services in the WOSD in 2018.

“Once we get back to in-school learning I'd like to see more Chef Days at the schools and more dietary education workshops and assemblies,” she stated.

“I've given a lot of thought to have West Orange participate more in sustainable practices. My corporate office has Sustainable Maschio’s, a great resource that works with school districts in earning points toward their Sustainable Jersey certifications. We're already incorporating BottleBoxes which are plastic food containers made from plastic recycled bottles. I would potentially work closely with the team on that. I also look forward to continuing Meatless Mondays,” she explained.

As Title I schools, Washington and Hazel receive spending funding for food programs. The money was used to purchase the insulated bags for the food distribution.

The Maschio’s team was recognized in December for their incredible efforts to provide food to struggling families, not only within the West Orange Schools but the entire community.

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