Little District, Big Job
story by Donna Hecker & photography by Talitha Schroeder
It’s a story of the little district that could…. How did tiny Frankfort (Ky.) Independent Schools, with fewer than 1000 students, coordinate, prepare and distribute over 45,000 meals in just six weeks? Meals that included ready-to-eat breakfast and lunch foods but also local fresh fruits and vegetables, like Happy Jack’s corn, and zucchini and cucumbers from Salad Days.
As you might imagine, farmers were involved. And a district food service director and school food service manager, and kitchen and custodial staff, a farm to school coordinator, AmeriCorps members, and a No Kid Hungry summer youth ambassador. And the Franklin County Farmers Market.
When FIS Food Service Director Amy White learned the district might participate in the seven-day pickup, she immediately reached out to Connie Lemley. As the farmers market executive director, AmeriCorps VISTA fresh food access coordinator and FIS farm-to-school coordinator, Connie was the linchpin of the operation. “I asked Connie, ‘how can we get as much fresh food as possible?’”
Amy continued, “If it wasn’t for our partnership with Connie, through programs like Farm to School, this would not be nearly as successful. Connie’s so resourceful and able to connect us all and bridge those relationships.”
“I wanted food that kids would eat and enjoy. I could have easily done shelf-stable foods but our kids get those all the time. Fresh produce can go in the fridge or even the freezer, and most of it can be eaten raw. For breakfast we’ll pack English muffins or bagels with hummus or hazelnut spread, then I’ll add fresh items like apples or oranges. So almost half of each bag is fresh.”
The program provides a week’s worth of breakfasts and lunches, along with recipes and cooking tips, to all children under 18 whose families sign up. There is no qualifying criteria and children do not have to be district students. Enrollment in the FIS program climbed steadily throughout the summer, from 400 children to more than 700.
In 2021, according to the USDA, over 5 million children lived in households that were considered food insecure, many of them headed by a single parent. In fact, FIS Superintendent Sheri Satterly herself grew up in a single parent home.
“My mom literally left with the clothes on her back. So we had a steady meal rotation based on foods that were the most inexpensive at the grocery store – things like bananas, ground beef, eggs. We always had food but not a wide variety. Chili, spaghetti, hamburgers, with breakfast for dinner once a week.”
As a mother of two, Sheri appreciates that the summer meals provide a wider variety than she had as a child. “My boys love fresh fruit. They’re getting better about eating vegetables. We’ve taken bags home when there were extra. There’s a gallon of milk with each bag and my boys can go through one in no time.”
In six weeks, the food service crew has handed out 3219 gallons of milk and 9440 servings of local vegetables.
As superintendent, Sheri appreciates the importance of nutritious meals for learning. “Children can’t focus if they’re hungry. They may not realize it in the moment or know how to process it, but food affects their behavior and ability to learn. That’s why we offer two breakfasts every morning, an early hot breakfast and a second chance breakfast so they’ll have nutrition before spending the whole day in the classroom.”
“And food insecurity affects everything. Our families depend on school breakfast and lunch, and the summer feeding program is just as important to them. During Covid, FIS delivered meals to every student in the district. We’re mostly in a food desert and many of our families lack reliable transportation.”
Experience gained during the Covid-19 pandemic came in handy this summer. As Amy explained, “It prepared us physically and mentally. We served around 600 families a day while school was closed. Daniel Rogers (Frankfort High food service manager) rode the school bus every day to deliver bags! If it had not been for the food service and custodial and maintenance staff, we never would’ve survived going door to door.”
It’s not only children and families who benefit from the summer feeding program; Amy says it allows many of the district’s classified staff to stay on the job while school’s out. “We’re able to provide employment for those who are wanting a little extra during the summer, without having to go out and get a side job. They can work around their kids’ schedules and it’s pretty flexible. Eventually, I’d like to get work for some of our juniors and seniors.”
Some of the work gets done by folks like Rebecca Vaught. The recent FHS grad is working at the farmers market this summer as a youth ambassador for No Kid Hungry. With 200 cars rolling through its pickup line in a two-hour window, the team needed some serious logistical support, so Rebecca created a spreadsheet that would be the envy of any senior supply chain exec.
When cars pull up to the tent in front of Frankfort High School, Rebecca checks off each family’s order (some families are picking up for others, too) while Connie and Anisha Adams make sure they get a ticket with the number of bags in the order. Anisha is another farmers market alum; she works the welcome table as a VISTA AmeriCorp Fresh Food Access member.
The cars move on to the school’s side entrance, where Daniel Rogers and other district personnel stock a steady stream of bags, in another performance worthy of supply chain accolades. Because each bag contains a combination of frozen, fresh and refrigerated foods, the staff is continuously finishing fulfillment as the bags fly out the door.
Frankfort Independent’s summer feeding program serves up a nourishing meal to all involved. Families can rest easy knowing there’s plenty of food in the house. Farmers gain an outlet for fresh produce at a time when their crops are most abundant. Classified staff have an opportunity to earn extra wages between school sessions. The farmers market expands its reach within the community. And kids grow healthy and strong.
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