Material Handling Industry Supports Weekend Lunch Program
Hänel storage systems always make a positive impact wherever they are installed, but one special installation stands out among all the rest. The "Back the Pack" program operated by the Rock Hill School District in Rock Hill, SC is a unique food-distribution program for students in need. Sue Kutz, the program founder, recognized that a percentage of Rock Hill students were going hungry over the weekends when they did not have access to school meals. The lack of proper nutrition makes it hard for students to be properly engaged in the learning process, leading to a drop in grades and increased disciplinary actions. Ms. Kutz knew that action needed to be taken, and she enlisted the help of the students, the school district and the community at large. The program now provides hundreds of bagged snacks that are discreetly added to student backpacks every Friday to help those in need get through the weekend and be ready for school the following week.
The food is provided through sponsorships, private and corporate donations, and then warehoused at the School District's Applied Technology Center. The Center provides a variety of career and technical training courses, including a Transportation, Distribution & Logistics training program. The Back the Pack program provides a real-world example of a typical distribution center and allows students to train for a career in a growth industry in the Rock Hill area while helping fellow students.
All of the storage and distribution equipment used in the Technology Center was donated to the program by member companies of the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA). When the MHIA presented the opportunity to help the Rock Hill Community and introduce young people to the career opportunities offered by the material handling industry, member companies responded with donations of brand-new shelving, storage bins and even a Rotomat (R) Vertical Storage Carousel from Hänel. All of the equipment can be seen in a story produced by special food correspondent and Celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentis for the Today Show on NBC. The story can be found on the Today Show's Website at: today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/42587983#42587983.
ABOUT
Hänel Storage Systems is one of the largest vertical carousel and vertical lift module manufacturers in the world. Founded in Germany in 1957, Hänel now encompasses sales centers in more than 60 countries, with manufacturing facilities in Germany and Switzerland. Hänel was the first vertical carousel manufacturer worldwide to hold the ISO 9001 Certificate.
Hänel's North American subsidiary is located in Pittsburgh, PA and has been an active member of the material handling industry for over 20 years. Specializing in custom designed and engineered vertical storage systems; Hänel U.S. is recognized as a leader in product technology and control system capabilities.
More information about the MHIA can be found at www.mhia.org.
