A message from Sam KoneffKlatt, Executive Director
As we wrap up our very first school year as Community Roots School Food Services Agency, I am feeling grateful, proud, energized, and maybe just a little tired in the best possible way. This year was full of big firsts, big learning, and big bowls of real food served to students across Nevada County.
From the first day of school to the final lunch line of the year, our team has been working hard to bring a new kind of school food experience to our students and families. We have increased scratch-cooking, expanded salad bars, introduced new flavors, supported new school meal programs, and continued building a food service program rooted in care, community, and connection.
And the most exciting part? We are quickly approaching 1 million breakfasts and lunches served!
That number represents so much more than meals. It represents students starting their day with breakfast, kids discovering something new on the salad bar, families knowing their children are fed, and a community coming together around the belief that school food matters.
This first year has been a joyful, messy, exciting, fast-moving adventure. We grew, we learned, we adjusted, and we celebrated a lot of small wins along the way. I am especially grateful to our kitchen teams, delivery drivers, school staff, district partners, families, farmers, vendors, and community supporters who helped make this year possible.
This year also brings a meaningful moment of gratitude and transition for our team. We are celebrating Theresa Ruiz as she retires after 28 years of service feeding children in Nevada County — 27 years with Nevada Joint Union High School District and this final year helping launch Community Roots. Theresa’s commitment, dedication, and care have made a lasting impact on generations of students. Her work has always been about more than food on a tray; it has been about making sure kids are welcomed, cared for, and fed. We are deeply grateful for her years of service and the heart she has brought to this work.
At the same time, we are excited to welcome Eric Dela Cruz as our new Director of Food Services. Eric joins Community Roots after seven years with Sacramento City Unified School District, along with a strong background in institutional and corporate food service.
He brings energy, experience, and a fresh perspective that will help us continue improving and growing our program. We are excited for the next chapter of Community Roots under his operational leadership.
And we are not slowing down just because school is out!
This summer, Community Roots is excited to launch our Summer Weekly Meal Service, helping make meals more accessible for families in our rural area. Weekly meal pick-up will be available through sites at Oak Tree Preschool in Nevada City and Nevada Union High School in Grass Valley, providing seven days of breakfasts and lunches for anyone 18 years and under.
We will also continue serving Daily Summer Meals through at community locations including the Royce Library in Grass Valley, the Madelyn Helling Library in Nevada City, Scotten Elementary School, and the Memorial Park Pool operated by Gold Country YMCA.
Summer can be a challenging time for families when school meals are not available every day, and I am proud that Community Roots will keep showing up for kids when school is out.
To every student who tried something new, every family who cheered us on, every staff member who made the impossible feel possible, and every community partner who believed in this work: thank you.
Our first year as Community Roots is almost in the books as the school year comes to a close, and we yet are just getting started.
Here’s to a summer full of good food, full bellies, and strong community connections!