On July 1st, food for the Meals on Wheels program began being prepared at Topeka West High School. About 980 meals a day are cooked at the schools’ kitchen, then packed up and taken to distribution points across Topeka for delivery to homebound individuals in Shawnee and Jefferson Counties. Some of the meals are also taken to Friendship Dining Centers.
The Topeka Public Schools’ Board of Education approved a contract with Meals on Wheels in April to provide meals at Topeka West High School. At the time, then Meals on Wheels President Jane Metzger said, “When you look at the regulations that the school district has to follow for meeting the quality of meals for students, they are very similar to what we have to do for seniors.”
No problems are anticipated when the Topeka West kitchen begins to cook and serve student meals next month as well as meals for meals on wheels. “There was an evaluation process by Topeka Public Schools to ensure that we had the capacity to handle the volume of meals that’s required,” said TPS Deputy Superintendent of Operations Larry Robbins.
Meal preparation at the Topeka West High School cafeteria is only temporary until a new kitchen facility can be built for Meals on Wheels at the Kanza Science and Education park next to Hummer Sports Park.
