5 things: Library of Congress café pulls impeachment-themed dessert

Mike Buzalka

Each Friday Food Management compiles a list that highlights five things you probably missed in the onsite foodservice news that week and why you should care about them.

Here’s your list for the week of October 7:

1. Impeachment-themed dessert vetoed at Library of Congress cafe

The Library of Congress was forced to remove a flavored baked good whose name was a pun on the impeachment inquiry into President Trump. In a statement to Fox News, the Library of Congress confirmed that the “Peach Mint Crumb Cake” dessert had been offered at its cafeteria, but was removed soon after management became aware of the item.

Read more: Library of Congress vendor forced to remove impeachment-themed 'Peach Mint' dessert item from cafeteria

2. Brown settles with student dining-services workers

Brown University and its student dining-services workers have agreed to a $620,000 settlement of a lawsuit that accused the school of violating federal Fair Labor Standards and state employment laws by failing to pay those workers and others for the "on-call" and overtime hours they worked. U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. granted preliminary approval to the settlement of the class-action lawsuit brought by former Brown University Dining Services supervisors Maxwell D. Kozlov and Benjamin D. Bosis and dozens of other workers.

Related:School cafeterias clean up their menus

Brown denied any wrongdoing or violations of state or federal law in reaching the agreement with students who worked as supervisors, assistant managers or managers in dining services from Jan. 24, 2016, through Oct. 18, 2018.

Read more: Brown reaches $620K settlement with student dining-services workers

3. Program provides backpacks of food for discharged hospital patients

A new partnership between Bryan Health and Food Bank of Lincoln (Neb.) provides two backpacks full of healthy food for patients as they're getting discharged from the hospital. Called Hope Against Hunger, it came about as a result of surveys that found that many patients worried about where their next meals would come from after leaving the hospital. Bryan Health is providing the food and backpacks through its foundation and the Food Bank is providing volunteers and helping the hospital organize the program.

Read more: New program provides food for food insecure hospital patients

4. Management changes boost Aramark stock

Shares of Aramark stock hit a new 52-week high after the company named a new CEO in John Zillmer and added Paul Hilal, CEO and founder of the Mantle Ridge investment firm that is now Aramark’s largest stakeholder, to its board as vice chairman. News of the changes sent Aramark stock up by as much as 3.4% to $44.16, a new 52-week high, last Monday, when the changes were announced. Mantle Ridge has built up a 20% stake in the company, making it Aramark’s largest shareholder.

Related:5 things: Schools ‘run out of food’ during contract transition

Read more: Aramark Stock Hits 52-Week High on Activist Deal for New CEO and Board Members

5.  Man raises over $7,500 to pay off students’ lunch debt

A former Marine and father of three created a Facebook fundraiser to pay off school lunch debt for students at Amherst County High School in Virginia. Dustin Wright ended up raising more than $7,500, way more than his initial goal of $1,000.

"After reading several stories of kids having to put hot lunches back because they didn't have enough money on their cafeteria accounts I thought maybe we could raise some money for kids in similar situations in our area," Wright wrote on the "Cafeteria Accounts for Local Schools" fundraiser page. He had initially contacted the high school and learned there was a balance of more than $4,000 in negative accounts. He ended up closing out the campaign once it reached $7,676.

Read more: Man raises nearly $8K to pay off high school lunch debt for students

Bonus: Compass unit brings independent restaurants to onsite locations

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]