5 silver linings from this week: May 15 edition

Acts of generosity continue to make waves in the foodservice industry as operators and customers contend with COVID-19. Here are five positive things that happened at noncommercial operations throughout the country this week. 

1. Reading while eating 

Students at Council Bluffs Community School District in Council Bluffs, Iowa, received books, activity packets, a toothbrush and information on good oral hygiene along with their school meals last Friday. The district partnered with a local nonprofit to provide the additional items. 

Read the full story at nonpareilonline.com. 

2. Meals for the unemployed 

Foodservice staff at Chateau Madeleine Senior Living and Memory Care in Melbourne, Fla., have set up a free lunch program for community members who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Every Wednesday, those without a job can receive a free meal (worth up to $15) by placing their order online and entering a promo code. They can then collect the meals via curbside pickup at the senior living facility. 

Read the full story at hometownnewsbrevard.com. 

3. Showing care through cupcakes 

Student volunteers from a local women’s center in Rock Hill, S.C., delivered 72 cupcakes to foodservice workers and bus drivers at Rock Hill Schools. The cupcakes were packed in boxes and decorated with positive messages such as “You are great” and “Thank you for your blessings.

Related:5 silver linings from this week: May 8 edition

Read the full story at cn2.com. 

4. Boxing meals for families 

Cafeteria staff at Liberty Mutual Insurance’s office in Dover, N.H., have switched from serving lunches to employees to making meals for families in need. Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, staff prepare around 100 free meals, which are then distributed throughout the community.  

Read the full story at fosters.com. 

5. How does your garden grow? 

The farm-to-school program at Ithaca City School District in Ithaca, N.Y., partnered with Cornell University’s Frank Lab and a local garden to hand out almost 1,000 at-home gardening kits to families picking up school meals. The kits included a live tomato seedling, cucumber and bean seeds to germinate and dissect, and a sheet of guidelines so families would have all the details without needing to access the internet. 

Read the full story at news.cornell.edu.

Have a silver lining you’d like to share? Let me know at [email protected].