BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Efforts to build a new "food headquarters" for the Buffalo Public School district have been a long time in the making, and now the commissary conversation is picking back up again.
The district has long wanted to build a central food service building.
This would be a hub for schools to get fresh produce and other ingredients.
The BPS needs a new commissary.
"We'll be able to use fresher ingredients, we'll be able to use more nutritious, less processed food. It will better meet the nutritional needs of our students," Buffalo Public Schools Chief Operating Officer David Hills said.
The current commissary is said to be run down and does not have the right equipment to prepare the large amount of fresh food needed by kids in the district.
A new central food service building would allow for healthier options and be built right across the current building.
Thursday night, a meeting was held to update the community on where the project stands.
"This is a unique and complicated project and the delay has been basically whether we would lease or purchase the property directly. The school district doesn't have the authority to purchase on its own. It has to purchase through the City of Buffalo," Hills explained.
Hills told me the next step is to get authorization from the school board to talk with local developer, McGuire Development Company about leasing options.
Hutch Tech Senior Rehma Kashindi said, "This isn't something that's talked about in the classroom but it directly impacts students and says it's important that they know too."
Kashindi said, "We've been having a lot of discourse in the Buffalo Public Schools commissary issue, and this is mainly just to get more information so that we can have accurate information so that we're spreading to our communities."
Her biggest concern is creating something that lasts.
Kashindi said, "There's a lot of working parts. There's a lot of people putting so much work and effort into making this happen so just ensuring that this building is a building that will be longstanding and do its job for many generations to come."
Jessica Bauer Walker is a parent within BPS who hopes to amplify the voices of the district's students and said this is a top issue.
"I think this is something that is really exciting to us as families and as public health advocates and we can get more investment, we can get more excited about this and really make sure we can use this as a community resource that impacts lots and lots of people," BPS parent Jessica Bauer Walker said.
Norfolk Avenue Block Club #1 President Angie Davis Leveritte said the building will not only be an asset for BPS students but also the surrounding community, where they too will be allowed to utilize the kitchens and be able to educate people about healthy eating habits.
"We were hoping that this added component of this commissary will not only serve the students of the Buffalo Public School but also serve the surrounding community by beautifying the community and also adding a component where some of the community members can go on and use the space that is there," Norfolk Avenue Block Club #1 President Angie Davis Leveritte said.
