Designed to meet the unique needs of teens and pre-teens, the Food Bank’s School Pantry program provides emergency food assistance for students experiencing food insecurity. Offering increased menu flexibility, this recently developed program allows schools to choose the type and quantity of the foods they receive. With the capacity to meet mid-week and/or weekend food needs, the School Pantry program invites students to select the food items that they will bring home. Student choice is a hallmark of the program and accommodates individual dietary preferences and food allergies, decreases waste, and ensures a dignified process. Food options for schools with cold storage capacity are expanded to include refrigerated and frozen items for their students and their families.
New Schools
The Food Bank continues to partner with new schools and is still actively offering participation for the 22-23 school year. With 61 schools currently partnering with the Food Bank across our 23 county service area, the program has proven itself to be both beneficial to students and to seamlessly integrate into the school’s operations. While no two schools are exactly alike, Feeding America’s School Pantry model allows us to work with School Social Workers, Guidance Counselors, Food Service Directors, or Health Office staff. Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach would limit a school’s ability to alleviate students’ food insecurity, the program model can be implemented in several ways, ranging from pre-packed weekend bags to mid-week open hours of an in-school pantry.
We are excited to share this opportunity with schools interested in learning more and host biweekly virtual information sessions throughout the school year. Please contact the Food Bank using the below information for the dates and times of these sessions and to receive an invitation.
How you can help
To support the School Pantry program, please consider making a cash donation here, choosing “Children’s Programs” from the drop-down menu. We are thankful for your generous support; each dollar donated allows the Food Bank to provide $10 worth of food to a student in need. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific school, please include the school name in the Partner Agency Name/Number field (above the PayPal button)
For more information about School Pantry, please contact:
Troy Martin
Children’s Programs Coordinator
(845) 534-5344 x108
