A new partnership is turning uneaten school lunches into hot meals for Chattanooga neighbors in need.
Jimmy Meeker, food service director at Chattanooga Christian School, kept seeing high-quality extra food at the end of lunch. He got in touch with the Chatt Foundation via another school chef who had worked with the nonprofit before.
Now, every Friday morning, the Chatt Foundation picks up pans of leftovers that then help provide three meals a day to anyone in need. The food is a blessing as steady sources of protein and fresh produce have become increasingly hard to come by, Chatt Foundation food service manager Kendal Adams said, and there is room for other schools who might want to do the same thing.
“Some places just donate their ‘end of the crop,’ especially if they know you’re feeding the homeless,” Adams said. “But Chattanooga Christian has gone above and beyond. We had roast beef and gravy, nicely seasoned chopped‑up chicken, homemade mashed potatoes, fresh carrots and steamed squash. It’s amazing the dishes that they put together for the school, and what we get in turn. Our guests constantly get something different and flavorful.”
Jordan Spangler