Category Archives: Nutrition Services

New food distribution sites identified for week of April 27

The Houston Independent School District will continue operating food distribution sites, with another 25 sites operating throughout the district during the week of April 27.

The food distribution efforts will continue utilizing Nutrition Services staff to pack food bags at the Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Facility and deliver the food to the distribution sites. Each site can distribute up to 500 bags — or 15,000 pounds of food — per day.

HISD, Houston Food Bank plan second mass food distribution at NRG on Saturday

As families arrive at sites, nutrition staff will minimize contact by filling out the required Emergency Food Assistance Program forms for families and placing food in their trunks. Participants who walk to the sites also must adhere to social distancing requirements.

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HISD, Houston Food Bank plan second large-scale community food distribution at NRG on Saturday

The Houston Independent School District is partnering with the Houston Food Bank to organize a second mass food distribution site on Saturday, April 25 from 4 to 7 p.m. at NRG Stadium.

Distribution will be held in the NRG yellow lot, and attendees must enter via the yellow lot main entrance off South Main Street. The site is expected to distribute 5,000 food packages — each weighing 80 to 100 pounds — in about three hours. That’s the equivalent of roughly half a million pounds of food.

HISD’s first mass community distribution site was held last Saturday and distributed more than 280,000 pounds of food to 4,256 cars and 450 families on foot.

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Wiggins to participate in COVID-19 K-12 webinar

HISD Nutrition Services Officer Betti Wiggins will share her experiences regarding emergency community feeding during a webinar sponsored by food service publications.

Wiggins will participate in a panel discussion to explore how school districts are utilizing different methods to provide nutritious meals through the COVID-19 pandemic. The “K-12 Child Nutrition: Serving students and families during COVID-19” webinar will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 21.

The webinar is sponsored by the editorial teams of Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality, and Food Management magazines. She will be joined by Minneapolis Public Schools Director of Culinary and Wellness Services Bertrand Weber and Londonderry School District Director of Dining Services Amanda Venezia.

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HISD, Houston Food Bank distribute over 280,000 pounds of food Saturday at NRG

When HISD Nutrition Services Senior Operations Manager Keith Lewis drove up to NRG Stadium Saturday for the massive food distribution effort, he wasn’t nervous. He was excited.

As he walked up to NRG Stadium’s yellow parking lot site and saw cars wrapped around the block, his excitement grew.

“I knew we had a team of Nutrition Services employees that were going to show up and rock it,” Lewis said. “It’s what we do every single day.”

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HISD food distributions a team effort to feed families in need

When Brenda Williams learned that the Houston Independent School District was closing due to COVID-19, her first thought was whether she would have enough food to feed her three grandchildren without school meals.

Williams previously received help from a local church, but that option became unavailable due to the pandemic. Now, Williams visits the district’s food distribution sites. The process, she said, is easy. She pulls up, pops her trunk, and the groceries are placed right inside.

“I appreciate what they’re doing, extending their hand to help,” Williams said, noting that staff are always helpful and the line moves fast. “It comes in handy during these times of need. Food on the table is better than no food on the table.”

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New food distribution sites announced for week of April 20

The Houston Independent School District is extending its food distribution program through the week of April 20 and announcing 25 new food distribution sites throughout the district.

Nutrition Services staff will continue to pack food bags at the Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Facility and deliver them to the distribution sites. Each site can distribute up to 500 bags — or 15,000 pounds of food — per day.

HISD, Houston Food Bank partner for massive community food distribution effort at NRG on Saturday

As families arrive at sites, nutrition staff minimize contact by filling out the required Emergency Food Assistance Program forms for families and placing food in the trunks of their vehicles. Participants who walk to the sites also must adhere to social distancing requirements.

Continue reading →

HISD, Houston Food Bank partner for massive community food distribution effort at NRG on Saturday

The Houston Independent School District is partnering with the Houston Food Bank to organize a mass food distribution site from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday in the parking lot of NRG Stadium.

The goal is to accommodate working families who are unable to visit HISD-sponsored distribution sites during the weekday. The site is expected to distribute 3,000 food bags — or 90,000 pounds of food — in three hours.

New food distribution sites announced for week of April 20

 “Every week at our other food distribution sites we have been able to serve hundreds of families in need,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Our mission is to continue to help as we partner with the Houston Food Bank and other entities to ensure our students and their loved ones do not go hungry.”

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Food distribution site changed for April 16

As the Houston Independent School District continues its food distribution efforts throughout the district, there has been an update to one of Thursday’s distribution sites.

Hartsfield Elementary School, 5001 Perry St., will now host a food distribution site at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 16, replacing the site at Cullen Middle School, which has since been designated as a COVID-19 testing site for the city. All other sites for this week remain the same.

Although the site has changed, participants must still adhere to the same guidelines for food distribution. As families arrive at sites, nutrition staff will minimize contact by filling out the required Emergency Food Assistance Program forms for families and placing food in their trunks. Participants who walk to the sites also must adhere to social distancing requirements.

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New food distribution sites identified for week of April 13

The Houston Independent School District will continue food distribution efforts at 25 sites throughout the district during the week of Monday, April 13.

Nutrition Services staff are packing food bags at the Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Facility, which serves as the central hub for the initiative. Staff will then deliver the food to the distribution sites. Each site can distribute up to 500 bags — or 15,000 pounds of food — per day.

As families arrive at sites, nutrition staff will minimize contact by filling out the required Emergency Food Assistance Program forms for families and placing food in their trunks. Participants who walk to the sites also must adhere to social distancing requirements.

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Nutrition Services employees helping families fight hunger during pandemic

Dozens of cars were already lined up at McReynolds Middle School on Tuesday when Nutrition Assistant Shondrica Crenshaw arrived for her shift.

Clad in a face mask and gloves, she quickly joined her co-workers, assuming a spot six feet from them as she began placing bags of food in the trunk of each car that drove up.

“I’m more than excited to be out here,” Crenshaw said. “We’re all going through a lot right now. It’s a blessing to be able to give back.”

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