BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Dr. Will Keresztes, Buffalo Public Schools Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs, Planning, and Community Engagement, announced a pilot program to bring halal meals to eight schools will begin in September.
The announcement was made during the Buffalo Common Council Education Committee meeting Tuesday. The plan is to roll out the program to the following eight schools and then expand the offering to all schools after any issues are worked out.
School #6 - Buffalo Elementary School of Technology
School #45 - International School
School #94 - West Hertel Academy
School #95 - Waterfront Elementary School
School #207 - Lafayette International High School
School #198 - International Prep at Grover
School #304 - Hutchinson Central Technical High School
School #197 - Math Science Technology Preparatory School
In February, Atiqur Rahman of Buffalo Muslim Community Services, sent a letter to Common Council members Mitch Nowakowski and Bryan Bollman encouraging them to bring halal foods into Buffalo Public Schools.
“The letter was addressed to council member Bollman and myself because we have a large Muslim population in our districts," Nowakowski said in a february interview with WKBW. "We were able to, after reading this letter, understand the importance and significance of halal lunch options.”
Halal is an Arabic word that translates to lawful, and for religious reasons, all meats that Muslims consume must be prepared in a halal or lawfully religious way.
