Nodaway-Holt school district has opened a food cupboard for students.
The school district has seen an increase in students who need basic necessities. A few days after the staff began to brainstorm how to solve the problem, Savannah’s school called Nodaway-Holt. Savannah had received a large donation of canned goods, more than they needed, and offered the extra food to Nodaway-Holt. Staff members collected several vans full of non-perishable food and brought it back to the school to start the food cupboard.
“We have more and more kids who are hungry, just plain hungry,” Superintendent Karma Coleman said.
The cupboard is an extension of the Backpack Buddies program, which sends a backpack full of non-perishable food home with children on Fridays to help ease possible hunger over the weekend. For the school’s program, staff members will assess each student’s needs and send home canned goods throughout the week.
The students and their families are assigned a number to ensure confidentiality. National Honor Society and FCCLA members will box up the food orders using the number system as part of their community service projects.
The school is also opening a hygiene closet. The closet will have a variety of products available including deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and soap. If necessary, students may shower in the school’s locker rooms.
“I feel students can learn better when they are clean and not hungry,” Coleman said.
The school is planning food drives and accepting donations throughout the year to keep the food cupboard stocked.
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