ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lunchtime was approaching.
To the smiling kindergartener cutie rocking a Nashville Music City T-shirt, that was music to her ears.
“Is it pizza today?” an excited Lilyanna said Friday at Sonia Sotomayor Dual Language Immersion Academy.
“I hope it’s pizza!”
It was pizza.
"By having these resources, we’re able to engage in meal enhancements, so our students have a variety of different options of meals that are healthy."Carol D. Birks, superintendent, Allentown School District
But during the 2025-26 school year in Allentown School District, the lunch offering also will include homemade empanadas, chicken quesadillas and flavored tuna.
The school district is taking a giant step forward as it expands the meal offerings for its students — a giant step made possible by Giant Markets on Emmaus Avenue.
Giant’s Feeding School Kids Program made a donation of $8,623.86 to the school district’s ASD Child Nutrition Department.
The funds will be used to enhance healthy meal options for students, as well as for sampling and taste-testing new items for its breakfast, lunch, snack and supper programs.
'Your heart goes out'
More than 13,000 meals per day are served to students in all grades in the school district.
“We’re very excited to have this long-standing partnership with Giant,” district Superintendent Carol D. Birks said.
“By having these resources, we’re able to engage in meal enhancements, so our students have a variety of different options of meals that are healthy.
“It’s also very important for the community to come together to support our overall student wellbeing and their families.”
The funding from Giant Market comes from its “Round Up Your Bill” initiative, in which customers can choose to round up their grocery bill to the nearest dollar to support local food programs.
“What we hear from the schools and parents of students is how grateful they are for the donations."Michael Ramos, store manager at Giant's Emmaus location
The donations can defray student meal debts, expand food distributions and create on-campus food pantries.
Giant’s donation program in Allentown School District began in 2021.
“What we hear from the schools and parents of students is how grateful they are for the donations,” said Michael Ramos, store manager at Giant's Emmaus location.
“Your heart goes out to the kids when it comes to hunger. Any donation really goes a long way. We are very appreciative of our customers who make these donations.”
'Donations are so important'
Gina Giarratana is Allentown Schools' director of child nutrition services. She's responsible for supervising and coordinating the district's food service program, ensuring proper nutrition and the health of students, staff and visitors.
She also is instrumental in menu planning and support hiring.
“It allows us to give them the best-quality products that they actually can. We’re always trying to find things that kids might not get to eat at home and introduce them to different new fruits and vegetables."Gina Giarratana, Allentown Schools' director of child nutrition services
“Giant is a great partner in helping us expand our school lunch program,” Giarratana said.
“In addition to breakfast, lunch, snack programs and supper programs, we also run the Summer Food Service Program. We’re 12 months out of the year and all parts of the day.
"That’s why these types of donations are so important.”
Giarratana underscored the importance of Giant’s “Round Up Your Bill” program.
“Ten cents here, 15 cents there — it all adds up,” she said. “For us, it added up to almost $9,000 for our school district — money that goes directly back into the food service program for our kids.
“It allows us to give them the best-quality products that they actually can. We’re always trying to find things that kids might not get to eat at home and introduce them to different new fruits and vegetables.
"That’s why the school district is so thankful to Giant for their donations.”
Which is music to their ears.
