Sponsored By

Stories from the front lines: Broward County school district serves kids and families during pandemic

Zoe Crego, RD, program manager of nutrition education and training for Broward County (Fla.) Public Schools (BCPS) shares the story of 50 distribution sites, teamwork, resilience and how the district is planning for the summer and next school year.

Tara Fitzpatrick, Senior Editor

June 1, 2020

Grab-and-go meals served twice a week at socially distanced (yet still friendly) distribution sites has been the formula that’s gotten Broward County (Fla.) Public Schools (BCPS) through emergency feeding in communities hit hard by coronavirus. That means feeding not just the kids in need, but their families too.

When families pick up multiple meals at once, that means less interaction and an easier time for parents to schedule during a chaotic time.

How have they done it? With an incredible can-do attitude, according to Zoe Crego, RD, program manager of nutrition education and training for Broward County’s foodservice team. Crego has found several silver linings in the situation, including the fact that “school meals are now at home,” encouraging inter-generational healthy eating habits. Crego tells us more details, including menu items that have been working especially well.

Contact Tara at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter @Tara_Fitzie

About the Author

Tara Fitzpatrick

Tara Fitzpatrick

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group

Tara Fitzpatrick is Food Management’s senior editor and a contributor to Restaurant Hospitality and Nation’s Restaurant News, creating editorial content for digital, print and events. Tara holds a bachelor of science degree from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Kent State University. Before joining Food Management in 2008, Tara was associate editor at National Association of College Stores in Oberlin, Ohio. Prior to that, Tara worked as a newspaper reporter in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, where she lives now. Tara is a fan of food history, legends, lore, ghost stories, urban farming and old cookbooks.

Tara Fitzpatrick’s areas of expertise include the onsite foodservice industry (K-12 schools, colleges and universities, healthcare and B&I), menu trends, sustainability in foodservice, senior dining, farm-to-table and innovation.

Tara Fitzpatrick is a frequent webinar and podcast host and has served on the board of directors for IFEC (International Food Editors Consortium).

Tara Fitzpatrick’s experience:

Senior Editor, Food Management (Feb 2008-present)

Associate Editor, National Association of College Stores (2005-2008)

Reporter, The Morning Journal (2002-2005)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-fitzpatrick-4a08451/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tara_Fitzie

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tarafitzie/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tara.y.fitzpatrick

See more from Tara Fitzpatrick