Jan. 27, 2022-- It’s important to get the food puns out of the way early, so let’s do that.

Jeff Hanaway arrived at Toms River Regional Schools this past summer with a lot on his plate. With two decades of experience in the K-12 sector, including Food Services director positions at several districts in Monmouth and Ocean counties, and after arriving at a district with 18 schools that serves more than 14,500 students, Hanaway must have wondered if he had bitten off more than he could chew. Surely, steering a complex department through a gauntlet of challenges would be a tough nut to crack.

Whew, OK, that’s done.

Puns aside, those challenges were and remain real. An ongoing pandemic has affected nearly every industry, and food services is no different. Whereas the initial struggle was getting food into the hands of students who weren’t in school but learning virtually, now the issues revolve around a shrinking supply chain and staffing shortages. And at TRRS, critical equipment that was already beyond its lifespan met a swift demise; walk-in refrigerators at several schools, for example, that went largely unused during the spring and summer of 2020 were found to have broken and damaged plumbing lines.

But Hanaway hit the ground running, assessing the issues at hand and getting to work on solutions. One such solution? Funding.

Prior to winter break, the department applied for a $90,000 equipment grant from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's Division of Food and Nutrition and its National School Lunch Program to fix those walk-ins and replace the compressors and condensers in its refrigerators/freezers at several schools. “Some of our current equipment is greater than 30 years of age and requires increased maintenance,” the application read. “Being able to update this equipment will increase food safety and allow us to offer fresher and healthier food options for students.”

On Jan. 19, the district was awarded the grant in full.

Fresher and healthier food options is something district students and parents have expressed a need for, and the department has heeded those requests.

To that end, Hanaway also helped secure $73,700 in funding this school year from the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), a federally-assisted initiative with a mission to introduce children to new and different fresh fruits and vegetables, and to increase consumption of fresh, unprocessed produce among children.

“Those funds have gone toward offering more salads at all school sites, as well as fresh apples, oranges, pears, carrots, broccoli, and more,” said Hanaway.

In a relatively short period of time–six months, to be exact–Hanaway has been at the helm for some major changes and marked improvements. Many of those changes happen behind the scenes–most recently, for example, the department has prepared an application for funding from New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program to replace commercial dishwashers at nine schools–but they ultimately impact students in tangible ways.

“We have been able to increase meal participation in both breakfast and lunch by 36 and 34 percent, respectively,” Hanaway said. “Being able to provide a nutritious meal to more students with the aid of [Assistant Food Services Director] Maryellen [Kennedy] and my staff is by far the greatest accomplishment in the few short months I have been here.”

Not every public school district even houses its own Food Services Department, with some opting to outsource that facet of operations. Toms River Regional Schools, however, has long recognized the value of utilizing its own employees and resources, making personal connections, and aligning food services with its overall mission in education and student health.

Citing one manifestation of that personal approach, Hanaway said, “The Junior Chef competition will start in a few weeks, and that’s just one innovation that will bridge students, community, and the cafeteria staff together.

“I am truly excited to be part of such an amazing district,” Hanaway continued, “and to have the opportunity to share my 20 years of experience with the Toms River community.”

There’s much work to be done, but more than $163,000 in secured alternative funding and tangibly better food options are–figuratively and literally, respectively–something we can all sink our teeth into.

(Sorry.)