covid-19 - T-V-S Overcoming Challenges | Feeding Our World

Community partnerships work together in supporting local children during pandemic

Apr 1, 2021 | News

TVS has been assisting with the delivery of meals from Brevard High School to the Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club and the Boys & Girls Club’s Teen Center in an effort to help the community navigate the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Boys & Girls Club was providing an average of 75 meals a day at the beginning of the school year in August 2020 and is now providing over 100 meals a day to children. In the past, the Boys & Girls Club has been able to provide the needed transportation, but this school year presented different challenges.

When TVS was asked if they could provide any assistance, there was no hesitation.

“We have all been going through challenging times with the pandemic,” said TVS CEO Jamie Brandenburg. “While the challenges may be different for each individual or organization, the fact remains that these are unprecedented and difficult times for us all.”

TVS employee, Daniel Rothe has been driving a TVS company van to deliver nutritious meals prepared at Brevard High School to the children at the Boys & Girls Club. This service is helping to continue a sense of normalcy and balance while contributing to healthy lifestyles for local children.

“This has been a huge blessing for us and helps in continuing our mission in the community,” said Sarah St Marie, Executive Director at the Boys & Girls Club. “It’s neat and encouraging to see how our community has come together during this pandemic.”

Historically, this food assistance program was only available to students whose parent’s income allowed for qualification. However, the impacts of COVID-19 have lessened restrictions of qualification allowing all students a free, nutritious meal during school hours. The Boys & Girls Club began supporting lunch for all the children at the center, along with the normal snack and dinner meals that were previously provided.

Looking forward, local middle and high school students are on track to be back on Plan A, a more full-time on-site schedule, after spring break. As the local school system continues to adjust and best accommodate, Rothe continues to provide the food transportation service as needed.

“It is rewarding,” said Rothe. “I love being able to give back to the community.” As long as there is a need in food transportation from the high school to the Boys & Girls Club, TVS is happy to be providing a helping hand.

“We must remember that we aren’t alone and being able to work together with each other’s strengths makes us all stronger,” said Brandenburg. “This is exactly what the partnership between TVS, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Transylvania County Schools has done.”

Pre-ETS program continue assisting local high schools with a virtual curriculum

Oct 29, 2020 | News

In response to the dramatic changes in high school operations due to COVID-19, the TVS Pre-ETS team has been working virtually to continue assisting local high school students with job preparation skills.

The TVS Preparation for Employment Success team works with the North Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) program to assist students with an IEP or 504 plan in Transylvania and Henderson County High Schools. Since the beginning of the school year, Pre-ETS has worked with each high school to best allow for the easiest and safest collaboration.

TVS Pre-ETS Team Lead Jessica Casey and TVS Pre-ETS Program Specialist Montana White, have been working with almost 160 students in six separate high schools within the two counties via computer screens.

“With the semester being virtual, we have actually been able to meet with classes more often and offer extra help when students need more discussion,” said Casey. All the high schools are organized differently to best accommodate social distancing and health safety. Currently, Pre-ETS teachers are teaching a total of 24 classes and are in the process of adding one more to their schedules.

To best accommodate the virtual world, Pre-ETS teachers have changed their education tactics. In the past Pre-ETS has used games and interactive activities, which are no longer options. Instead worksheets, videos, reflections and discussions have become the daily activities.

“We have been very successful transforming our curriculum for a virtual platform,” said White. “The students are actively participating and fully engaged in our activities.”

The virtual curriculum changes have the Pre-ETS team planning some fun new experiences. Casey and White are in the beginning stages of planning virtual tours of local businesses. The tours will be recorded and posted on the students Google Classroom for students to get an idea of what working in that specific location would be like.

Looking ahead, Casey says, “we are happy and excited to deliver whatever the schools need from us as decisions are made about the Spring semester.”

New, Temporary Community Inclusion Services in Response to COVID-19

Aug 4, 2020 | News

Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (NCDVR) to offer a new service called Community Inclusion. This service was created by the NCDVR in May as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of the Community Inclusion Service is to provide current individuals whom are supported by Vocational Rehabilitation with a way to navigate new challenges within the community and local employment industry. Recipients are supported by a TVS Employment Specialist through individualized education that is customized to the needs of each individual.

“The biggest benefit of these services is that individuals are able to see how all aspects of life can and do affect employment,” said TVS Employment Specialist Megan Pilley.

The Community Inclusion Service focuses on four main categories, all designed to help an individual adapt to changes in their community or job. These categories include: 1) Job Preparation, 2) Disability Awareness, 3) Health, Safety and Wellness, and 4) Independent Living.

Individuals are able to choose from a wide variety of topics within each category, based on what is most useful to their personal lives. These subcategories cover topics highly relevant to issues surfaced by COVID-19 such as how to conduct a virtual or phone interview and how to access additional resources through telehealth services.

“By awareness being brought to these areas, we expect to see individuals becoming more involved in the community and have confidence regardless of the current lifestyle changes,” Pilley said.

To qualify for the service an individual must have an active case with NCDVR. A NCDVR counselor determines eligibility after a person applies for the service and approved individuals can receive up to 50 hours of inclusion service trainings.

This service is being offered for a limited time and is only expected to remain in effect until the end of the year.

For more information please call your local Vocational Rehabilitation office, Brevard: 828-883-2190 or Hendersonville 828-692-9184.

USDA Food Aid Contract Creates More Jobs at TVS

Jul 27, 2020 | News

Brevard, NC (July 27,2020) — Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) has been awarded another contract from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for packaging instant non-fat dry milk. This will more than double the packaged milk output from the facility.

The USDA is purchasing the dry milk to provide food aid to an expanded list of food banks across the country as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and its impact on the United States and its territories, Guam and Puerto Rico.

“The USDA is working hard to carry out their mission of assisting American farmers and citizens in need. The rise in unemployment due to the pandemic has resulted in an increase of food insecure families and caused a major surge in domestic food aid programs,” said TVS COO, Becky Alderman.

To accommodate this production surge and meet the demand, TVS is hiring more employees on three shifts and increasing the number and speed capabilities of machines packaging the milk. The company is actively recruiting for an estimated 25 job openings, within nine different job categories, including production workers, inventory assistants, sanitation workers, production supervisors, and material handlers.

Click here to read the full PDF or to view the Transylvania Times article.

TVS receives letter of gratitude from U.S. Department of Defense

Jul 24, 2020 | News

Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) received a letter from the U.S. Department of Defense on July 17, expressing gratitude to TVS’ essential workers during the current national emergency.

Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), TVS has remained committed to the production of the more than 20 items in the Mountain Maid product line which are used by chefs in military kitchens worldwide to prepare meals for our troops. TVS takes pride in producing 100% of the annual requirement for pancake mix, from which more than 4 million pancakes are made in one year.

TVS is proud to be feeding our troops, at home or abroad, and is thankful for the hard-working employees who are more than deserving of this acknowledgement as essential workers during these uncertain times.

Please read the official statement of gratitude from the Department of Defense by clicking here.