GREAT FALLS — Since August, Great Falls Public Schools has served more than one million meals to students—a feat that takes a whole team working behind the scenes every day.
“I do the ordering for breakfast. I do the paperwork, ordering our milk, make sure everything is up to standard, make sure things are clean,” says Paula Reed, satellite lead at Valley View Elementary School.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video here:
At Valley View, Reed leads a dedicated staff who manage everything from food orders to kitchen cleanup, creating a safe and welcoming space for kids.
District-wide, 49 food service employees, 18 satellite leads, and a network of cooks, managers, and delivery drivers keep the operation running—delivering more than 7,000 meals each day.
“It is so important. The kids. It is statistically shown that kids need to have a full belly to be able to learn. So, then we do—some of the schools—do the breakfast in the classroom, and Valley View is one of them,” Reed explains.
And research backs her up: studies from the Food Research & Action Center show that students who eat well have better memory, attention, and test performance. The work starts early, with milk delivered to schools each day.
“130 cases of milk a day, roughly,” says Zachary Battleson, the district’s milk man—a total of 6,000 cartons each morning.
Despite rising costs and lunch debt, Valley View refuses to turn away any hungry student. If you’d like to help, consider donating to Valley View or the Great Falls Public School Foundation.
But for Reed and her coworkers, the reward is in the relationships with students. “But at the end of the summer, I can say now I'm ready to come back. I miss my kids and say that they miss me is a huge warmth to my heart because they do. It's like, ‘there you are, Miss Paula,’ and it's so rewarding as well.”
On this Lunch Hero Day, food service staff hope the community knows just how much their dedication means—helping every child learn, grow, and thrive.
