This article is from KMVT.com and is simply quoted here. Source: https://www.kmvt.com/2021/12/06/first-its-kind-food-truck-aims-help-with-school-lunches/
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By Candice Hare Published: Dec. 6, 2021 at 4:45 PM MST| Updated: 16 hours ago
GOODING, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages have impacted school lunches nationwide and the Magic Valley has been no exception.
“It seems like we spend all of our time ordering food, to find out it’s out,” said Gooding School District Child Nutrition Director Anji Branch.
Gooding School District said they opted to be proactive, and they recently unveiled their solution: a food truck. It is the first of its kind in the state of Idaho.
“The food truck we knew would be just something exciting and something different, and help increase participation,” Branch said. “Our program isn’t effective if our students aren’t participating in it.”
The Senator StrEat truck — a play on the high school’s mascot — was partially funded using district ESSER, or Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. Additional funding came from the Child Nutrition Department’s excess operating balance.
The truck will have a variety of purposes ranging from school lunches, mobile feeding sites around town and concessions. It is not yet operational while staff training is being completed. Speaking of staff, like many districts statewide, they are in need of more.
“Staff shortages is a real thing,” said Branch. “So right now our truck is great and as awesome as it is, but it will be myself and my assistant out running it until we can get more staff hired.”
This year, school lunches are free in the district, including the food truck. Once it is up and running, staff say they expect to see immediate benefits.
“We’re going to be able to feed more students, they’re going to be able to social distance better,” said Spencer Larsen, Superintendent of the Gooding School District. “It’ll be mobile, so we’re not going to just have one location. It’s going to be fabulous.”
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