She’s a national foodservice leader.
Carrie Woodruff, Ada High School grad and Ada resident, is the 2019 Foodservice Achievement Management Excellence (FAME) Silver Special Achievement Award recipient.
She is food service director of Lima City Schools. She will receive the award at the FAME award ceremony in Austin, Texas, during the School Nutrition Association’s School Nutrition Industry Conference this weekend.
The award goes to a director who demonstrates exceptional ability to recognize and solve problems unique to small districts.
“I was extremely surprised when I received the FAME Award phone call notifying me that I am the recipient of the award. I attended FAME awards ceremony in 2016, and I never dreamed that I would be considered,” she said.
“I am honored and blessed to be recognized in this industry because there are many, many people who work tirelessly to promote food service. I absolutely love what I do – the people I work with, my networking friends and the students and community we serve. I am really grateful for my superintendent, Jill Ackerman's, support and the opportunities the Lima City School District has given me.”
Woodruff’s success with Lima City Schools is credited to her planning and perseverance in achieving her mission.
Her planning, monitoring, and evaluating of all aspects of her program, as well as her staff training initiative, are recognized by the Lima City school board as having a significant impact on the schools and the community.
SMI evaluations for nutrients in her meals have been nearly perfect three times, and the schools enjoy 83 percent lunch participation.
Breakfast participation leaps
Under her leadership breakfast participation leaped from 19 percent to 87 percent as she added programs and introduced Breakfast in the Classroom, now in its 12th year and emulated by surrounding school districts.
And, Woodruff piloted one of the first USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Grant programs nationally. In 2014, she spoke before U.S. Congress at the Community Eligibility Congressional Briefing.
Woodruff led the school system to create gardens to produce vegetables and fruits for use in school meals.
When she joined Lima City Schools, the school food service program operated at a loss and was nearly $250,000 in debt. By reorganizing staffing, updating kitchens, implementing the Fresh Foods Fruits and Vegetables program, and using a meals per labor hour to evaluate staffing needs, Woodruff turned the food service program around. Today it operates with an operating balance.
She partnered with Love your Lunch Room to do cafeteria transformations in all nine of her buildings.
These are now called Spartan Cafe. This changed the entire atmosphere with the colors representing the school colors in the kitchen areas, serving area and dining room.
The redesign also provides the opportunity for subdued nutritional messages. Each school created its own tagline.
She has worked with Bluffton University, where she is an undergrad and holds a master’s in organizational management, as well as other long-distant dietetic internships.
Woodruff has mentored over 45 dietetic interns.
Summer feeding program
For the summer feeding program, the school system partners with agencies such as YMCA Kinder Kamp, Lima Parks Department, Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Programs (UMADAOP) of Ohio, Bradfield Center, Head start and the YMCA to provide lunches and even breakfast at some sites.
Woodruff works with Activate Allen County Food and Lima Sprouts, programs that promote Healthy Happenings in Lima. She is visible with her “Farm to School Intentions,” and works with local business to promote the district.
Photo: Britney Ricker, daughter, Tim Woodruff, husband, Carrie Woodruff and John Woodruff, son.
