Butler County commissioner Leslie Osche addressed the food service workers thanking them for their dedication during the pandemic Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

School and elected officials forked over a heaping helping of praise on Wednesday morning for the 40 food service workers who have provided 200,000 free meals to hungry students in the Butler Area School District since March 17.

The workers, many in hair nets, took a break from packing boxes for pickup and distribution to students’ homes to gather outside the Butler Senior High School cafeteria for the kudos.

Brian White, district superintendent, said while Friday would be the last day of the school year for the district’s students, the food service workers will continue to work five days per week until Aug. 23 to prepare the meals that feed students in need.

He said boxes containing four breakfast and lunch meals are delivered Monday and Wednesday, and six meals are delivered on Friday to carry the student through the weekend.

The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, White said.

The school’s 24 police officers drive a collective 250 miles per day through the 150-square-mile district to deliver the boxes.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that appeared in Thursday’s Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.