The following announcement was provided by Food Link:
This Thanksgiving, 200 food insecure residents of eastern Massachusetts will receive a traditional Thanksgiving meal with ingredients rescued by Food Link, cooked by students from Minuteman High School, and delivered by Food Link volunteers.
Food Link, a food rescue organization serving eastern Massachusetts, has partnered for the 2020-21 school year with Minuteman High School, a regional career technical education high school in Lexington, to create nutritious meals for neighboring communities that are grappling with food insecurity. Through this collaboration, Food Link is rescuing food from grocery stores, produce markets, farms, and distributors and delivering it to Minuteman High School where culinary arts students create meals based on the ingredients they receive. These meals will then be shared with organizations feeding those in need.
“Food Link has rescued 820,000 pounds of food since the pandemic began to address the growing need in our communities,” said DeAnne Dupont, Executive Director of Food Link. “This partnership allows us to take fresh, nutritious food and create meals to share with organizations such as after, low-income housing facilities and food pantries.”
Minuteman’s culinary arts students operate a restaurant at the school, which is typically open to the public but is only open to staff temporarily due to COVID-19 protocols. The partnership with Food Link provides culinary arts students a different population base for which to cook and bake meals.
“This is a great service learning experience for our students,” said Minuteman Superintendent-Director Edward A. Bouquillon. “Due to this partnership, our culinary arts students are shifting their business model to help people in their communities. Understanding how your work impacts others in a positive way is a valuable educational tool that benefits our students.”
ABOUT FOOD LINK
Food Link is a critical arm in the effort to offset food insecurity. Volunteers disperse to facilities throughout the region on a daily basis, rescuing foods such as fresh produce, bread, milk, eggs, and meats. These fresh foods are distributed to community organizations that help alleviate food insecurity. Many of the groups Food Link partners with serve low-income children and families, at-risk youth, seniors, veterans, the homeless, and other vulnerable populations that don’t have regular access to healthy food. Food Link couples its dedication to alleviating food insecurity with its commitment to the environment by keeping fresh food out of the waste system — a cornerstone of protecting our planet.
ABOUT MINUTEMAN HIGH SCHOOL
Minuteman is an award-winning regional career and technical high school and continuing education institution that integrates robust academic and technical learning. As an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), Minuteman challenges all students to aspire to their full potential, accelerate their learning, and achieve success in the 21st-century global community. Located in Lexington in a new state-of-the-art facility, Minuteman’s member towns are Acton, Arlington, Bolton, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Needham, and Stow.
Bravo Minuteman students and staff!
You are All-Stars, sharing your heart, values, and talent to make the world a better place. You, your families, and your teachers do us proud. Happy Thanksgiving to all.