Biography

Benita Gingerella

Editor

 Contact Benita

Benita is an editor for FoodService Director and has been with the publication since 2016. In addition to covering various sectors of the noncommercial industry, Benita is also responsible for several of the magazine's most beloved sections, including Steal This Idea and The Line. In her spare time, Benita is an avid restaurant-goer and loves to travel extensively.

Articles by
Benita Gingerella

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Operations

USDA proposes new rule to expand CEP access

The proposed rule would lower the percentage of low-income students required for schools and districts to participate in the program, which enables serving free meals to all students.

Operations

Minnesota says yes to universal free meals

Also in this week’s K-12 legislative update: Pennsylvania looks to continue its universal free breakfast program and a federal bill would require schools to serve soy milk.

Over 23 million breakfasts have been served to students through the program, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The workers, represented by SEIU Local 99, are calling for higher wages, more full-time work and increased staffing levels.

The Higher Education Enhancement Act is now headed to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk.

Under SB 1164, Florida college institutions, contracted foodservice providers and other state entities would be required to prioritize commodities grown or processed locally

A recent survey showed that 126 school districts in the state have accumulated a total of $1,414,122.86 in current unpaid school meal debt as of March 2023.

The state would join California, Maine and Colorado in offering universal free meals at school.

A new report by the Food Research and Action Center shows that breakfast and lunch participation during the 2021–2022 school year was higher than that of pre-pandemic levels.

The budget earmarks over $15 billion in funds to allow more school districts to take advantage of the Community Eligibility Provision

U.S. Senator John Boozman and U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx have written a letter to Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack asking for the comment period to be prolonged by 30 days.

Faced with staffing shortages, K-12 nutrition directors have come up with creative ways to make sure that kids keep getting fed.

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