Superintendent of Schools Joan Landers said that the people and buses from First Student Inc. and Van Pool Transportation have been wonderful as the weeks have gone by during the coronavirus shutdown, thanks to their participation in food distribution Monday through Friday for local students and families.

First Student delivers food to six locations throughout town. Someone from a family meets the bus and receives breakfast and lunches for their children at one of those six sites. Many of the school district’s staff help disperse the bags, and it is accomplished even though smiles are hidden by masks and the time is limited.

Then there are the families that have no way to get to those six distribution sites.

Van Pool Transportation works with the superintendent on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday in delivering food to students and their families who do not have a way to make it to the designated locations for distribution.

Plus, on Wednesdays, Heywood Healthcare’s Mary Gianetti comes with food, and Growing Places from Leominster provides fresh-grown vegetables for 85-90 families. That food is packed and delivered to student residences throughout the town by Van Pool. They even make sure the holidays are covered.

Landers calls Van Pool driver Bill Leger of Templeton “the guardian angel of families” because he is sweet to all as he packs and delivers food to homes.

Leger said that he stepped forward to drive the van as soon as Van Pool Transportation put out a notice. For the last several weeks Leger has shown up to Toy Town, packed up the van, and is usually done before lunch.

Leger said he does not do the work for money but does it because he loves the students.

“If I wasn’t driving Van Pool’s van, I would jump in my own truck to do it on my own gas,” he said.

Leger drives special needs students throughout the year, noting some days they have a really good time. He has been working for Van Pool Transportation for 11 years as of May.

Not long after Leger retired, his wife was leaving for work and turned around to ask him what he was going to do that day. After thinking a moment, he replied, “I don’t like retirement. I think I am going to look for a job.”

When he saw Van Pool Transportation vehicle drive by, he followed it back to the office, filled out an application and was hired.

Leger said there were difficult kids and tough routes, but added that Van Pool is the greatest company he has ever come across. He explained that any driver having a hard time with a student just calls in, and everyone in the office becomes focused on how to make it work.

Their motto is, ‘Whatever it takes,’” said Leger.

Van Pool Transportation President and CEO of Kevin Hinkamper and Westley Richters, chief operations officer, spoke of why Van Pool has stepped up to help distribute food and educational supplies to the district.

Hinkamper said that Van Pool is a special transportation vendor for many districts in Massachusetts.

“We serve many of the communities and towns, and have been serving them for over 30 years,” said Hinkamper.

He said that this is not the first time the company has helped the community in tough times.

“When the tornado hit in 2011, we responded by serving the community in the southern part of the state around Springfield, really pitching in and volunteering … doing whatever was needed to be done,” said Hinkamper. “We have done it in ice storms, and even the gas explosions up in Lawrence through one of our other companies. It is something we have practiced for quite some time.”

Richters said they began planning with the school districts knowing there were going to be some impacts.

“We reached out to all of our community partners and offered assistance in any way we could,” Richters explained. “We knew there would be a need for education materials to get to several of the students. We have plenty of vans, so we offered the help to our communities and several communities showed an interest.”

Van Pool Transportation has been organizing and working with the superintendent’s office delivering food and education materials such as books and laptops. It is using drivers who have already been serving these communities, so they know the 47-plus miles of back roads.

“They all offered, and they come each day ready and willing to make these deliveries,” said Richter.

Hinkamper said that one of the things he felt was important was learning the protocol to make sure that the employees and people they were serving were safe.

“That changes based on the need,” he said. “By the nature of the work we do, the drivers are very experienced and knowledgeable about the community. It just becomes part of a routine for us to adapt from transporting students to transporting meals.”

Richter said there has been a great response from communities. People have been helpful and excited about the services provided.

Hinkamper added that Van Pool Transportation will be able to supply help indefinitely.

“We are hoping that it (health crisis) doesn’t last much longer than what it is, but we have been working with our districts for over 30 years. We are a well-established company so we feel pretty strongly that we can support the community as long as the community needs supporting,” he said.

Landers said that those who are in need of food can call her at the superintendent’s office at 978-616-1452.

“I am there every day,” she said.

People can also email her at jlanders@winchendonk12.org. All they have to do is leave a phone number, and the superintendent will contact them.

https://www.thegardnernews.com/news/20200427/food-distribution-for-winchendon-students-to-continue-as-long-as-needed

Even though schools will remain closed for the remainder of the year, a western Massachusetts transportation company is putting their empty vehicles to good use.

In partnership with local school districts, they are delivering supplies and meals to students in need.

Like many companies facing the ever-changing world of coronavirus, Van Pool Transportation has transformed their business model to fit the needs of the community.

“In mid-March, when everything started to unfold, we reached out to our many school districts including those in the Pioneer Valley and offered our services in any way possible,” said Kevin Hinkamper, president and CEO of Van Pool.

Hinkamper said they found the greatest need was helping school districts get supplies and meals to students who don’t have a way to get to pick-up locations.

“For those that are not able to get to the schools, the district will give us specific addresses, so we can reach each of the individual families,” said Franco Indomenico, VP of operations of Van Pool.

Indomenico said the company has set times they arrive at bus stops around the city for students to pick-up these supplies.

“Whether it’s food or these educational laptops are receiving…the feedback that we’re getting for my drivers, who are out there, is pretty rewarding,” Indomenico added.

Although this specific service is new, they said this isn’t the first time Van Pool has transformed into a makeshift delivery service.

“We do have a history of doing this before, specifically with the school district during the tornado. We also work for them during the gas explosions. We also worked with them during water main breaks,” Hinkamper explained.

They told Western Mass News that now school has been moved online for the rest of the year, their service will continue.

“I think in the next few weeks, we will actually be adding additional services as they become evident. We’re doing this in over 20 communities across the Commonwealth. The feedback has been very, very positive,” Hinkamper added.

In western Massachusetts right now, they are only delivering laptops and supplies to the Springfield school district, but will soon expand.

Their meal service, however, is already covering more of the area.

“In addition to Springfield, we have been doing food services in other communities including Holyoke, Belchertown, and the Quabbin Regional Schools District,” Indomenico noted.

Hinkamper added, “As partners with our schools and communities…we have a long-standing tradition of doing whatever it takes.”

As long as their buses aren’t carrying students, they’ll continue to help.

“As long as we’re in this together…we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing,” Hinkamper said.

https://www.westernmassnews.com/news/van-pool-helping-get-supplies-meals-to-students/article_a712b7e4-85a6-11ea-89ad-c7baabe6ce2c.html

School buses are still on the go during the pandemic, delivering tens of thousands of meals to students and their families.

Schools may be closed, but bus driver Paul King is still heading out on his regular route in Marlborough. His stops during a pandemic now serve a new purpose — delivering meals.

“This job is all joy for me,” he said.

In Marlborough, bus drivers like King, have already helped deliver more than 70,000 meals to students and their families.

“A lot of these families can’t get to schools to pick up food, so they rely on us,” he said.

But the stops are more than a service, they’re about smiles. Parents say seeing a familiar face provides some much needed normalcy.

“It teaches the kids a sense of community, and it’s great for them since school is out until the end of the year. They love seeing him, gives them a sense of normalcy reminds them of school,” one mom said.

“You get to see our bus driver on Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” said student Chase. “It’s just fun seeing him.”

The effort is made possible with a mix of volunteers and school workers meeting a demand that is greater than during the school year.

“I’m hoping this helps, gives the kids a connection. We miss them. I’m sure they miss us,” said cafeteria manager Laurel Butler.

The program is not just in Marlborough. The bus company, North Reading Transportation, Is doing the same in more than a dozen communities.

“All these bus drivers are here, it’s not a money thing, it’s a love thing,” King said.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/school-bus-drivers-delivering-meals-for-families-along-routes/32238058