The Weakley County Schools Food Pantry has reopened for the school year, offering free food to families of students and staff in need.
Originally launched in 2020 as an extension of the Backpack Program, the pantry operates during the school year to help ensure that families of students and staff have access to food. The food is providedby Second Harvest Food Bank, and any family with school-age children is eligible to receive assistance.
Bethany Allen, Director of the Weakley County Coordinated School Health Program, explained that the pantry and the Backpack Program are independent entities that work together for the same cause.
“The Backpack Program has been an essential organization for alleviating hunger for students in our schools. The program focuses on providing easy-to-open foods for children that require minimal preparation, ensuring they have something to eat even without adult help. The purpose of the pantry is slightly different in that it offers ingredients for complete meals for families and sometimes requires more preparation. Both initiatives are crucial lifelines for families dealing with food insecurity,” Allen
acknowledged.
During the school year, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee delivers monthly shipments of food. Commonly received items include pasta, tomato sauce, rice, oats, cereal bars, canned vegetables and fruit, and canned chicken and tuna.
Kathy Dodson, Coordinated School Health Assistant, highlighted that the pantry is available to both student families and staff families.
“Many households in our communities rely on a single income, and it’s unfortunate that some face thedifficult choice between paying bills and buying groceries. This program is here to ease that burden forthe families of our students and staff,” said Dodson.
While recipients’ identities remain confidential, the number of people in each household is required to ensure the correct amount of food is provided.
The Coordinated School Health team is committed to making food access as easy as possible for those in need.
“We want to remind parents that this resource is available to them,” Allen said. “We understand that schedules can make it difficult to visit our location during the day, so we aim to make it more convenient by delivering food directly to schools for pickup. Parents can collect food in the car line with their children, or we can arrange to send lighter items home with students on the school bus if necessary. Our
priority is making this process as simple as possible for families.”
Food can also be scheduled for pick up Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM at the Weakley County Personal Development Center, located at 8250 Highway 22 in Dresden.
