Fresh Bites Winter Edition 2022

COMMITTEES Industry

Industry Feature

NFL Grants Fuel Greatness School Districts Across the State Receive Grants to Increase Student Access to Healthy Meals

NYSNA ANNUAL REGIONAL Exhibit Show Recap BY DIANA MCCARTHY INDUSTRY COMMITTEE CHAIR

BY GREG SZKLANY AMERICAN DAIRY ASSOCIATION NORTH EAST

Thanks to two grant programs and three New York NFL teams – the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and New York Jets – $90,000 was awarded to 30 New York State school districts to help improve student access to healthy meals. This effort was made possible through Fuel Up to Play 60’s Hometown Grants and “Taste of the NFL” grants.

awarded their grant to two Capital Region school districts. The City School District of Albany purchased a breakfast cart that will be placed in a school’s high traffic area to increasemeal access to students on the go. Nearby Schenectady City School District bought breakfast bags that will help the school district serve more meals in the classroom .

From transportation issues to menu revisions, staffing shortages, and everything in between, the beginning of the school year, and most of the fall, went by so quickly. Fortunately, in October, many of us participated in the NYSNA Annual Conference Regional Exhibit Show hosted in Rochester, Saratoga, and Long Island. With each show came a new opportunity to meet with directors and industry partners in each respective market. With many familiar faces in attendance came a lot of chatter about where we were, what we are dealing with today, and where we see ourselves next year at this time. It was like catching up with old friends. At this year’s event, which was a hybrid format mixing both annual conference and regional shows, we presented the Jeff Seigel Industry Partner Award in person. This award was created in 2002 to recognize an industry partner who shows great initiative in helping this association thrive, is interested in helping districts improve their programs, and is a consummate professional in selling to schools. Food Service Directors are asked to submit their nominees, by October 1st, for whom they believe best fits this award. It is an honor to receive this award, and I encourage all directors to nominate an industry partner who they feel deserves to be recognized.

American Dairy Association North East and dairy farmers throughout New York State have a longstanding history of partnering with NFL clubs through the farmer-founded Fuel Up to Play 60 , the nation’s largest in-school health and wellness program. Through this collaboration, American Dairy Association North East worked with the three teams to identify school districts who would receive equipment to aid their efforts in increasing school meal participation. In Buffalo, the Bills’ Hometown Grant was awarded to the Buffalo Public Schools where the district will be purchasing insulated breakfast bags and

Similar to the Giants, the Jets returned to their former training camp home on Long Island, where they spent 50 years, to reward two Hometown Grant recipients. Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District in Nassau County and Commack School District in Suffolk County plan to implement new recipes and innovative menu options for students. To kickstart their Hot Chocolate Milk and Yogurt programs, each district received a mobile kiosk, a utility

While we received many nominations this year, for the first time we received two nominations for the same person. We were excited to present this year’s award to Cassie Miller-Leone, who is very deserving of this award. As one of the directors stated, “Cassie shows constant support of all school districts and their school meal programs. She is very passionate about feedings kids.” 2021 Jeff Seigel Industry Partner Award Winner

The New York Giants hosted students and staff from Schenectady City School District at their game on October 24th to present the district with a check for the Hometown Grant award.

Congratulations, Cassie!

cart and a Hot Chocolate Milk dispenser. Additionally, 30 schools in 25 school districts across the state each received $2,000 through “ Taste of NFL ” grants from GENYOUth, a nationally recognized youth wellness organization and proud supporter of Fuel Up to Play 60. These grants will assist school food service departments in a variety of ways, including improving cold storage equipment and meal transportation. American Dairy Association North East congratulates the all grant recipients! To find more information about our programs and how we can support your efforts to increase student access to meals, through grants or additional support and resources, please contact us at schools@milk4u.org or visit AmericanDairy.com .

Thank you to the NYSNA headquarters, and the 2021 conference committee. You planned an amazing event despite many challenges. We are grateful that you kept everyone informed and engaged. Here’s to the second half of the school year!

milk coolers to provide meals to students at multiple locations. “Thanks to the generous grant from the Bills and to American Dairy Association North East for facilitating everything, this equipment comes at just the right time when we are welcoming all of our students back this year,” said Buffalo Public Schools Food Service Director Bridget O’Brien Wood. “These milk coolers and insulated bags will enhance our grab-and-go breakfast program while maintaining all the COVID social distancing requirements.” The Giants, who spent more than a dozen years in the 1990s and 2000s hosting their training camp in Albany,

Diana McCarthy is the Director of K-12 Northeast Sales for Wild Mike’s Ultimate Pizza. She has 20 plus years of experience in the K12 segment, with time spent as a broker and as a Regional Sales manager for the Northeast, Diana uses her expertise and knowledge as she serves on the Industry Committee as chair for the NYSNA. DIANA MCCARTHY • INDUSTRY COMMITTEE CHAIR

FreshBites

WINTER 2022

FreshBites

WINTER 2022