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Universal meals boost participation and reimbursements, Personal Touch tells East Aurora board
Summary
Personal Touch Food Service reported the district's universal-feeding program increased overall participation from roughly 42% to almost 80% and raised reimbursements from about $200,000 to nearly $900,000 for the September to May comparison; staff described operational challenges and staffing needs for the expanded program.
Debbie Becker, general manager for Personal Touch Food Service, told the East Aurora board on June 3 that the district's switch to universal meals dramatically increased participation and reimbursements.
Becker said overall participation rose from about 42% in 2024-25 to nearly 80% in 2025-26. Meals served per day increased from roughly 795 to about 1,400 (breakfast and lunch combined), and Becker reported reimbursements under the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program rose from about $200,000 to almost $900,000 for the September-through-May comparison in the presentation.
Chef Mike, who leads food production, described the operational strain of that volume change: storage limits, menu rotation adjustments, and equipment needs required changes in daily production routines. He told the board that September and October were the most difficult months as staff and students adjusted to new routines, while production records and menu planning reduced waste by late fall.
Board members asked whether free/reduced programs such as the backpack program would continue; administrators and Personal Touch staff confirmed community food programs remain in place and noted summer food-access information will be included on menus for families. The business office later confirmed cafeteria fund revenues exceeded expenditures by about $133,000 as of the end of April.
Personal Touch invited the district to use reimbursed funds for allowable child-nutrition expenditures such as equipment and serving-line improvements; Becker said those reimbursements must be used in the cafeteria programs. The vendors and district staff agreed to return next year with updated statistics and to coordinate on staffing needs and menu plans as participation stabilizes.
