Hearing the school bell ring and racing home on that Friday afternoon makes many feel the weekend’s excitement. Some people may get home and go into the kitchen deciding which after-school snack to have, while others open their empty pantry thinking about where their next meal will come from. While some question whether they should have some Cheez-Its or a Rice Krispy Treat, others wonder when they should eat their half-stale box of crackers. Everyone has fallen short of something they want, but some children have been struggling to maintain just their simple needs.
One person who has taken action on this issue is Kristine Dixon. She is the TAP (Transition Alliance Program) Coordinator for the district. Dixon said, “I help students with an IEP (Individualized Education Program), 504, or other diagnoses with work experience, career exploration, and plans after high school.” When thinking about the idea of a food pantry, she got help from multiple different sources. Dixon said, “I learned that some other high school TAP coordinators have helped facilitate their school food pantries in this way to help students gain work experience while also providing tangible assistance to the school community.” She wanted to find a way to help these students in need, but also get her TAP team experience for their future careers. When creating a project this significant, she had to make sure she had enough people to help support all of the families in need. The school gets food from the HACAP warehouse and donations to stock the pantry. TAP students work to organize the pantry and assemble orders.” The project has multiple people who help assemble different items and also assist with getting the word out to the community.
When working for a system so close to some families, it can be important for everyone to feel safe and comfortable. Asking for help for their loved ones can be difficult, and providing respect and privacy matters to the program. Dixon said, “Families fill out a monthly Google form with what food items they would like. I assign each family a number to maintain confidentiality and then the students work assembling the orders, which gives them hands-on work experience to build upon their resume and existing skills. Families then pick up their orders after school.” The food pantry has a continual cycle allowing everyone to feel the trust that they will continually get their needs met in a safe environment. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and be able to feed their children. The group realizes how hard that can be in this world, and encourages families to trust their help. Dixon said, “One of my favorite parts of my job is seeing the students’ confidence in their abilities grow as they get more comfortable with the repetition of the process.” She understands the importance of reassurance and tries to provide all of these kids with it.
Everyone has struggled at some point in their life, and helping others is one of the best ways to get back on their feet. Whether it’s donating shelf-stable food, hygiene products, or even just spreading the word of the Marion Food Pantry, anything helps the community. So the next time one may get upset about not satisfying all wants, be grateful for all the needs in life that are easily accessible to you every day because not all people are as lucky.
