December 2011 – St. Louis Public Schools children help put food into the hands of those in need by making a $2,851.50 donation to Operation Food Search, a St. Louis area food bank that distributes food free of charge to feed the poor and hungry.  The donation is a result of St. Louis Public School participation in the first national Food Day on October 24, 2011 and support from Preferred Meal Systems, Inc., a national supplier of healthy, well-balanced component meals.

Sunny Schaefer, Executive Director and Leslie Bertsch, Nutrition Education Manager, Operation Food Search accepted the over-sized donation from the St. Louis Public School students.  Althea Albert-Santiago, Director of Food Services, St. Louis Public Schools and Allison Henderson, Area Manager, Preferred Meal Systems presented the check at Operation Food Search. Preferred Meal Systems has provided meals to St. Louis Public Schools since 2008.

 Food Day was organized by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to further knowledge, understanding and dialogue about critical topics in food, agriculture and nutrition.  Preferred Meal Systems supported St. Louis Public Schools officials with Food Day activities and promised to make a donation on behalf of the students to the homeless shelter or food pantry of the school’s choice. The amount of the donation was determined by the number of student meals served on Food Day -- October 24, 2011.

“We are very proud to support the St. Louis Public School students and their selection of Operation Food Search.  Our joint efforts in supporting Food Day 2011 helps educate St. Louis Public Schools students about the importance of food and nutrition as well as the need to help the poor and hungry,” said George A. Chivari, President & CEO Preferred Meal Systems. “We are totally committed to supporting the St. Louis Public Schools and providing students with healthy and tasty meals,” he added.

For information on Operation Food Search, go to www.ofsearch.orgor call (314) 726-5355.

For additional information about the St. Louis Public Schools please contact the Office of Public Information (314) 345-2367.

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