Press release from the city of Indio:
January 18, 2021
The City of Indio will recognize 68 Desert Sands Unified School District employees for their commitment to providing healthy and nutritious meals to families during the pandemic at their City Council meeting on Jan. 20.
For the past 10 months, the DSUSD Nutrition Services team has adjusted to serving over 3 million drive-through pick-up meals across the district, including 1.9 million meals in the city of Indio. These DSUSD employees serve breakfast and lunch seven days a week at 18 school locations and one apartment complex in the city.
These DSUSD employees serve breakfast and lunch seven days a week at 18 school locations and one apartment complex in the city. (City of Indio)
DSUSD Nutrition Services staff are typically responsible for reheating food in a cafeteria, serving meals to students, and interacting with them at the checkout. Now they offer take-away meals in extreme desert weather, including scorching and freezing temperatures. In addition, employees move heavy equipment to safely transport the food outdoors.
“These school feeding heroes really serve as the front line for many families,” said Mayor Elaine Holmes. “Even outside of the pandemic, they sometimes provide the only reliable meal students can get in a day. We are extremely grateful that they stepped up to meet a growing need.”
“They take great pride in their work and it shows in the smiles of their students,” added Dan Cappello, director of nutrition services for Desert Sands Unified School District. “Our ‘lunch team’ is extremely understanding and proud to give parents and students a sense of normalcy.”
With the City Council chambers currently closed to the public, the Indio City Council will present these DSUSD staff with a proclamation on Zoom on Wednesday January 20, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. The public is cordially invited to follow the recognition live via the city’s website or Facebook site.
Grab-and-go meals are available to all students free of charge and take place on Mondays and Wednesdays at all Indian schools.
Indio City Council will issue a proclamation on Zoom to these DSUSD employees on Wednesday. (City of Indio)
This press release was produced by the city of Indio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
