Courtesy Photo | Pennsylvania recently became the 47th state to participate in the DoD Fresh Fruits and...... read more read more
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PHILADELPHIA - Students from school districts across eastern Pennsylvania can thank the Defense Department for the fresh fruits and vegetables in their cafeterias.
About 52 schools from 11 districts in the Keystone State began participating in the DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program in mid-March, said Patricia Scott, acting garrison feeding customer operations chief for Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s subsistence supply chain.
The DoD Fresh program allows schools participating in the Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program to purchase fruit and vegetables from DLA, according to the USDA’s website.
“In many ways, this mirrors what we’re doing for the military, because we’re delivering produce to their dining facilities,” Scott said. “We have the mechanisms and processes in place to provide that service to whoever calls us on the phone.”
Pennsylvania joins 46 other states and a number of U.S. territories that participate in the program. Scott said state officials wanted to grow the program slowly, initially allotting $74,000 of USDA entitlement money for just the northeastern region of the state.
Two months into the program, it has been expanded to the current allotment $131,600. Eleven more school districts, which include an additional 117 schools, have been identified for the program in the 2015 school year.
Scott said that Pennsylvania’s expansion mirrors the program’s popularity on the national level. Since 2011, the program has increased in allotments from $97 million to $137 million for 2014. She said states have already indicated an increase to $149 million for the 2015 school year.
In fact, inside the continental U.S., DLA sells more produce to schools than to the military, she said. She attributes the program’s growth to the value and consistency that DLA contracts provide.
“The background of the program is to have good quality produce on a timely basis,” she said. “These long-term contracts have proven they provide the support the customer is looking for.”
The team also attributes the program’s success to the level of customer service its members provide, said Jane McAvoy, acting chief for the northeast produce region. She added that supporting schools in and around the Philadelphia region adds to that relationship.
“I think what’s working well, specifically with the Pennsylvania schools, is that we’re neighbors,” she said.
McAvoy said the majority of customer issues she’s dealt with thus far have been normal issues for new customers: they can’t access the ordering system, forgot their password or can’t find the items they’re looking for. She said the solution is often as simple as placing that first order for the customer.
“They want that order next week, so I’ll make sure they get it in one way or another,” she said.
She said she believes many new school customers might be intimidated by the idea of calling a DoD agency for their produce, which is often eased once the customer is able to speak with a support specialist.
“This is a national program with a personal touch,” she said. “It’s just Jane. I’m your neighbor, and I’m here to help.”
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.30.2014 10:51 |
| Story ID: | 131619 |
| Location: | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 74 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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