Rewarding attendance — Chick-fil-A

Meet Chick-fil-A Salem and Keizer

Over the past few months, two local businesses have helped put thousands of smiles on students’ faces across Salem and Keizer schools. The Chick-fil-A locations in Salem and Keizer together have donated more than 14,000 food cards to schools in Keizer, Northeast Salem, and South Salem. What may seem like a small gesture has made a big difference for students across our district.

Supporting attendance and success

Schools are working hard to improve student attendance. Being at school every day is important for learning, building social skills, and staying connected to school resources. The food cards have supported efforts to build positive attendance habits. They give schools a simple but powerful way to celebrate and encourage students. However, food is about more than just a reward.

"When students are excited to attend, we see an improvement in attendance and [Chick-fil-A’s] support is providing an opportunity to help our students in more ways than one."
Joana Guevara Cruz, Assistant Principal at Stephens Middle School

Community support for students

Having access to food and other basic resources helps students feel ready to learn. This partnership is a great example of how the business community and schools work together to support our students.