By Beth David, Editor
Most of us know that many families rely on the meals provided by the school system to make sure children get the food they need. When school vacations come around, a lot of families have a tough time getting enough food for their growing children.
The Fairhaven Public Schools Family Engagement Center is designed to help families in the school system with just about anything they need, including housing and food insecurity. So, just in time for February vacation, Morgan Matthews, the Family and Student Engagement Coordinator, and a group of volunteers, created a grocery store in the cafeteria of the Hastings Middle School, with food from New Life South Coast Food Pantry.
The “food pop-up” was open on Saturday, 2/18, and the volunteers stayed late after school on Friday to set up.
Families signed up ahead of time, and items included more than just the usual non-perishable food items. Families could choose from a variety of produce, including oranges, potatoes, and onions; meats, including ground beef and chicken; and non-food grocery items, such as detergent and toilet paper.
Monica Landis, who is a Special Education teacher and also volunteers at New Life, said the pantry is set up like a grocery store, so people can take what they need instead of everyone getting the same bag with all the same items.
The pantry donated five pallets of groceries to the food pop-up. She said it was probably about $7,000 worth of food.
Tables in the cafeteria were set up with different items, and families would be able to take one or two of each item. Ms. Landis said it would probably end up being four or five bags of groceries for each family.
HMS student Gabe Soares joined the adults unloading items from the pallets and stacking them on tables.
“I just wanted to help out,” said Mr. Soares. “And get some community service in as well.”
Ms. Matthews is a district wide employee. Her office and the Family Engagement Center are located at the middle school. It has a separate entrance for privacy.
To learn more about the New Life pantry, call 774-206-1422 or visit https://newlifesouthcoast.com/food pantry or email info@newlifesouthcoast.com. They are located at 1331 Cove Road in New Bedford.
-
- Paraprofessional Ryan DeVincent carries a box of cranberry juice while other volunteers unpack food and stack tables at Hastings Middle School on 2/17/23 preparing for a pop-up food pantry the next day by the Fairhaven School District Family Center with food from New Life South Coast Food Pantry. Photo by Beth David.
-
- Volunteers take food from a pallet at Hastings Middle School on 2/17/23 preparing for a pop-up food pantry the next day by the Fairhaven School District Family Center with food from New Life South Coast Food Pantry. Photo by Beth David.
-
- Volunteers stack a table with food at Hastings Middle School on 2/17/23 preparing for a pop-up food pantry the next day by the Fairhaven School District Family Center with food from New Life South Coast Food Pantry. Photo by Beth David.
-
- Special Education Teacher Jill Sullivan hauls a big bag of onions onto a table at Hastings Middle School on 2/17/23 preparing for a pop-up food pantry the next day by the Fairhaven School District Family Center with food from New Life South Coast Food Pantry. Photo by Beth David.
-
- Gabe Soares moves a bag of potatoes onto a table at Hastings Middle School on 2/17/23 preparing for a pop-up food pantry the next day by the Fairhaven School District Family Center with food from New Life South Coast Food Pantry. Photo by Beth David.
•••
Click here to download the 2/23/23 issue: 02-23-23 FPSFoodPopup
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal
