Dining team at Yavapai College steps up to feed evacuated campers

When wildfires erupted near Flagstaff, Ariz., in mid-April, 126 children and their chaperones were camping nearby on a school trip and had to be evacuated. A majority sought refuge at Yavapai College in nearby Prescott.

“The Red Cross set up an evacuation center here,” says Amanda Amos, assistant director of culinary for HHS, the foodservice provider for the community college. “The gymnasium where they were sheltering was just 100 feet away from our dining hall.”

So the dining team sprang into action to feed the displaced campers.

Amos and Foodservice Director Maggie Devine approached Chef Erik Stieber to see what could be prepared quickly for the hungry evacuees.

“He’s good at keeping supplies stocked up and stored, and he had chicken tenders, fries and frozen pizza dough ready to go,” says Amos. “Plus, he had another food order coming in the next day.”

Chef Stieber cooked up the chicken tenders and fries, thawed the pizza dough and topped it with sauce and cheese, and tossed together some fresh salads for gluten-free campers and vegetarians. For lunch, there were burrito bowls, and in the morning, the team set up free coffee service for the adults.

Amos, Devine and college students on staff helped serve meals for two days. 

“The group had to wait for buses to come and pick up the kids, so the leaders were very happy to keep them fed, says Amos. HHS did get paid for the food, but the cost was much lower than it would have been at area restaurants, she adds. Plus, none of the leaders had to leave to pick up food for the group—which would have taken time and added to the stress.

Devine and Stieber are always on board to assist with emergencies and support the Prescott community, Amos says. And she grew up in a family of volunteer firefighters and learned about the importance of a quick response.

“I also think that the pandemic shifted our perspective,” she says. “Supporting and caring for the community has become more of a priority.”