A Message from the School Nutrition Foundation |
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Grants, grants and more grants! The Foundation has raised more than $521,000 through our GoFundMe initiative, and we have provided over 200 grants ranging between $1,500 - $5,000 to districts to help offset their emergency feeding needs. In addition, and separate from the GoFundMe grants, we have also partnered with Winston Foodservice, Vulcan, Hobart, Cambro Manufacturing, CMA Dishmachines, Innoseal Systems, Lakeside Manufacturing, Sterno Delivery, TekVisions and Unox in order to offer not just one, but FOUR equipment grants for 2021.
As schools continue to navigate feeding programs through virtual, hybrid and traditional learning, we continue to fight for our school nutrition members. We are always looking at ways we can assist SNA members as they navigate the new path toward feeding this school year. By donating to our Annual Fund today, you are helping The School Nutrition Foundation support professionals in the School Nutrition community! They need your support more than ever before with COVID-19 closures and dramatic decreases in participation.
Through the Annual Fund, we can fortify the Foundation and continue providing scholarships and professional development, continue seeking funds for emergency situations and continue building the resources that SNA members need.
Please consider being a part of building the future of school nutrition by donating today. Your donation will make a difference and build a better future for school nutrition professionals and the children they feed.
Sincerely,
SNF Staff
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Professional Development Scholarships
Do you find yourself enticed by the idea of continuing your education but stop short of actually going for it? Are you currently taking classes and need some financial assistance? It’s time to break through the barriers standing between you and your professional goals and educational aspirations by taking advantage of scholarships available through the SNF!
These opportunities include academic aid for those pursuing a vocational/technical, undergraduate, graduate or post graduate degree in a school nutrition-related field of study within the United States. The Schwan’s Professional Development scholarships award up to $2,500 each. The Nancy Curry Scholarship, awards one scholarship of $500.
Applications opened on October 1, 2020. The application deadline for the 2021-22 academic year is: January 31, 2021 at 11:59 pm (EST). However, we encourage you to apply early! Applicants must be an active SNA member for a minimum of one year from January 1, 2020 and have a history of employment in school nutrition. Children of SNA members are no longer eligible to apply for scholarships.
To apply, or to view all the eligibility requirements and tips for submission, visit www.schoolnutritionfoundation.org The time you take to apply just might be one of the best investments in your profession that you ever make.
$10,000 Golden Ticket Raffle
SNF held two $10,000 Golden Ticket Raffles throughout the months of September and October! The Golden Ticket drawing took place LIVE! at the School Nutrition Association headquarters in Arlington, VA.
How did it work? Each of the 200 tickets (per raffle) were sold for $100. This means, two people win $10,000 and the School Nutrition Foundation receives $20,000 to support the many programs and scholarships provided to SNA members.
We held our virtual drawing via Zoom on October 15th —thank you to all who joined us! Without further ado, here are your winners: Drawing #1 Winner is Sharon Hunt, District Director, Anderson School District 05 (SC). Drawing #2 Winners: Randy Sheets and Allan & Regina Turney, Stokes County Schools (NC). Congratulations to our Golden Ticket Raffle winners! We want to thank each and every one of you for participating in both $10,000 Golden Ticket Raffles. We hope it’s brought some fun and excitement during these difficult days. Thank you for your continued support. Because of you, our annual fund continues to grow – which helps us award more scholarships to more SNA members! You helped us EXCEED our goal of $40,000!
Fall Emergency Grant Feeding
A special thank you to Share our Strength/No Kid Hungry for collaborating with SNF’s GoFundMe Help Feed School Kids Now! which has now helped support 169 emergency feeding school districts in the spring, and 37 SSO/SFSP emergency feeding school districts in the summer. We have given out 207 grants so far and plan to continue to do so, as long as funds are available. SNF is continuing to fundraise for the Help Feed School Kids Now! Emergency Feeding Relief Fund. When the next round of applications opens, SNF will post this notice on its website and social media. We plan to open a fall application soon. The SNF website will also soon have a landing page for the GoFundMe grants and applications. Be on the lookout if you want more information on how to apply! If you want to encourage donations to our GoFundMe, you can direct people here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-feed-school-kids-now.
The 2021 Equipment Grants
New this year, eligible applicants have the opportunity to win one of four equipment grants! These grants are the Winston Equipment Grant, the Vulcan Equipment Grant, the Hobart Equipment Grant, and the Collection Grant.
We were not surprised to learn that equipment is the number one purchase recipients are making with the grants. With this valuable information in hand, we will reach out to last year’s equipment donors to see if they are able to donate again for 2021. Please visit www.schoolnutritionfoundation.org soon for more information on the 2021 Equipment Grants.
The 2021 SNF Equipment Grants were made possible by the generous contributions of Winston Foodservice, Vulcan, Hobart, Cambro Manufacturing, CMA Dishmachines, Innoseal Systems, Lakeside Manufacturing, Sterno Delivery, TekVisions and Unox.
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WALK WITH A PURPOSE (formerly known as Party With a Purpose)
Coming Soon in 2021!
We all know how SNA members like to Party With a Purpose and since we are not yet able to do that in person, SNF is creating a WALK WITH A PURPOSE to raise funds for academic scholarships for SNA members. In early 2021, SNF will hold a VIRTUAL WALK in which both industry members and operators can participate. There will be opportunities for creating your own team of SNA members, competing with other state associations and reaching your personal steps goals - all while helping to raise funds for the Foundation. Sponsors will be recognized throughout the entire promotional timeline for the walk, in eblasts to all participants, on the SNF website, in SN magazine, and at the SNF Booth at ANC in Chicago. Fun prizes, incentives and interaction with members will motivate everyone to do their best!
Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom
The Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom initiative has many resources to help you implement breakfast in the classroom:
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Visit the recently-launched Partners for BIC Operations & Equipment Guide on SNF’s website to find a directory of equipment manufacturers to help you outfit your mobile/grab-n-go/direct delivery service. Great for all meals being served in the classroom AND curbside delivery planning!
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Visit the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom website for a full library of case studies, reports, and other resources for all stakeholders.
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Check out the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom on YouTube for behind-the-scenes footage of breakfast in the classroom in Austin, TX, Charleston, S.C., Garfield Heights, OH, and Alexandria City, VA.
L.E.A.D. to Succeed Training Grant
SNF is thrilled to announce our L.E.A.D. to Succeed program will be launching our pilot on February 1, 2021! This training program is open to SNA members and non-members, and was developed in conjunction with the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Funded by a $2m grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food & Nutrition Service, this initiative will examine and address professional and workforce development needs of school nutrition professionals in the areas of Personnel Management & Communication, and Marketing & Customer Service. Visit the SNF website to learn more and stay tuned for details on the pilot launch!
Opportunities to Partner with SNF
Professional development is critical not only to those beginning their careers in school nutrition, but also for those seeking to deepen their understanding and competencies for more sustainable school nutrition programs. You can help make education dreams come true for SNA members by establishing a named scholarship or contributing to our existing scholarship programs. To date, SNF has awarded more than $2.4 million in scholarships to deserving members. SNA member scholarships fund continuing formal education and attendance at SNA conferences. Because we understand the challenging times for your company, SNF has made it possible to create a named scholarship over a 5-year payment plan. Please inquire for more details and find out how you can honor an individual or your company with a named professional growth or conference scholarship. For more information, please write to Dana Clerkin, SNF Fund Development Consultant at dclerkin@schoolnutrition.org.
Giving Tuesday 2020
Mark your calendars! Giving Tuesday is on December 1, 2020. Because of donations from people like you, our annual fund continues to build – which helps us award more scholarships to more SNA members! Please help us reach our goal of $80,000! As end of the year giving approaches, consider donating to the School Nutrition Foundation Annual Fund.
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In closing, be on the lookout for our quarterly Foundation Focus and please pass the message along to anyone you feel might be interested in hearing more about the School Nutrition Foundation. If you have any questions, please reach out to SNF@schoolnutrition.org.
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