Florence Metropolis Faculties unveils new meals truck for the Youngster Diet Program

FLORENCE, Ala. – Florence City Schools have some new wheels that are taking the child nutrition program to new heights. The Falcon Feeder is a purpose-built food truck that the school system uses to deliver meals to students when needed.

The Falcon Feeder was teased with vague news on social media for days before it was surprisingly revealed at a press conference on Thursday morning.

The school system’s purchase of the food truck follows the “Feeding the Falcons” initiative, which provided children in northwest Alabama with more than 60,000 meals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the program was successful, Child Nutrition Program Coordinator Tara Talmage feared that many children would starve due to a lack of personal transportation. The Falcon Feeder wants to solve this problem.

“First and foremost, it must be known that this would not have happened without the No Kid Hungry organization and their generosity,” Talmage said.

No Kid Hungry is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength. The non-profit organization works to solve hunger and poverty problems worldwide.

Talmage said she had only been to Florence City Schools since the fall before the pandemic and then realized the importance of nutrition programs for children.

“… but we didn’t realize they were necessary until the pandemic hit, schools closed and our Feeding the Falcons operation really began,” Talmage said.

The Falcon Feeder is the first of its kind in the Shoals and will travel on a route similar to the Florence City Schools buses. He meets the students where they are.

Florence City Schools applied for a grant from No Kid Hungry and was informed in September that the organization would provide $ 100,000 for the truck.

For the first use of the truck, plans for distributing the summer feeding are in the works.

Florence City Schools said use of the Falcon Feeder is not limited to the summer feeding program and closings. The school system is also ready to use it to meet additional needs within the system and the community.

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