NOVI, MI, April 10, 2024 - National Food Group, a leading food distributor for K-12 schools nationwide, announced today the recipients of its Grab The Tab grant program.
NATIONAL FOOD GROUP ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS FOR GRAB THE TAB SCHOOL LUNCH DEBT CONTEST
Michigan-based food distributor awards three US schools lunch debt relief for overdue meal balances
ssue affecting schools and students nationwide – unpaid school meal debt. As part of its 2024 Grab The Tab initiative, the company awarded three schools over $50,000 in total funding and in-kind food donations.
Over 100 Grab The Tab applications were received from 34 states this year, underscoring schools' ongoing financial struggles in managing unpaid meal debt. After a thorough review, three schools were selected based on financial need and their commitment to providing healthy meals to students:
- Bergman School District in Harrison, Arkansas
- Fairview Park City Schools in Fairview Park, Ohio
- North Bend High School in North Bend, Oregon
"We are incredibly grateful for the donation from National Food Group,” shared Keith Ahearn, superintendent of Fairview Park City School District, “to cover the outstanding lunch fees owed by students. This donation ensures that every child in the Fairview Park City School District will receive a healthy and nutritious meal without the burden of financial worries. This donation helps us break down barriers toward equity and inclusion in our school environment."
“Every single application caught our attention and displayed such a great need across the country,” shared Samantha Bourque, Corporate Social Responsibility Director for National Food Group. “Many students rely on schools as their primary source for meals, and we applaud the cafeteria heroes who are trying to balance their budgets with students’ needs every day. While we are encouraged by the direction many states are headed in providing free meals to students, we are again thrilled to ‘Grab The Tab’ for these three communities.”
According to the Education Data Initiative, the U.S. continues to face a growing school meal debt crisis, with total unpaid balances exceeding $262 million annually. Nine states have introduced programs within the last two years that make school breakfast and lunches universally free. Still, sixty-eight percent of schools recently surveyed currently have unpaid school debt.
President Shannon Gleave, RDN, SNS, of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) believes much of the debt is due to old and new challenges, including
- Increasing food costs
- Staff shortages
- Menu item shortages
- Discontinued menu items
- Lack of items meeting nutrition need
- Packaging shortages
- Lack of competitive bids
- Shortage of new equipment
- Longer than normal lead times
- Challenges getting families to submit free and reduced meal applications and household income forms
Grab The Tab is a program of Project SERVE, National Food Group’s corporate social responsibility platform initiative. To learn more and hear from individual schools about how this program impacts them, visit zzgrabthetab.com and watch the 2024 recap video.
ABOUT PROJECT SERVE
Project SERVE is National Food Group’s corporate social responsibility initiative. The company pledges a minimum of 5% of its earnings and the team’s time and talents to help make food more accessible. It also provides opportunities and resources for individuals seeking a career in the food industry while supporting our global environment.
ABOUT NATIONAL FOOD GROUP
Founded in 1990, National Food Group is one of America's fastest-growing wholesale foodservice manufacturers and distributors. National Food Group's family of brands includes Zee Zees® better-for-you snacks for kids of all ages, Elated Plates®, innovative food items ensuring a supreme sense of satisfaction with every bite, and Fare Promise® for truly square and deliciously nutritious meals at remarkably low prices. National Food Group offers three core programs to help make budgets and planning easy: Always Available®, Opportunity Buys®, and Commodity Processing™. Our food experts can also develop original items to meet custom nutritional and pricing requirements. The company is headquartered in Novi, Michigan.
Media Contact:
Terra Leach, Communications Specialist
248-560-2413 | tleach@nationalfoodgroup.com
Program Contact:
Samantha Bourque, Corporate Social Responsibility Director
248-560-2398 | sbourque@nationalfoodgroup.com
