Middletown Public Schools Introduces New Head of Food Services

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MIDDLETOWN — Randall Mel Jr. recently started with Middletown Public Schools as the school district’s food and nutrition officer.

He comes from Hamden Public Schools with a long list of accomplishments, according to a press release.

In 2019, he became Connecticut’s youngest school catering director. Along with this achievement, Mel launched Hamden’s first summer meal program as part of the seamless summer option in 2019.

At the height of the pandemic, he successfully transitioned Hamden Public Schools to the summer dining program, the district said. These are federally funded, state-administered programs that play a critical role in improving access to food for school-aged children.


His commitment to providing students with access to fresh, nutritious food is further underscored by his leadership of the Hamden Food Insecurity Task Force, according to the press release, as well as the launch and expansion of the the city’s first fresh produce program.

Mel also transitioned five public schools in Hamden to the Community Eligibility Program, which provides free meals to all students at those schools.

His efforts also generate revenue, the district said. In the 2020-21 school year, under his leadership, Hamden experienced its highest profitability to date, where the food service account recorded a surplus of more than $300,000.

Mel aims to expand the district’s food and nutrition programs and hopes to help the Hunger Task Force and Wellness Committees, according to the press release.

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