Fall Creek Valley Paw Pantry
Donation protected
Fall Creek Valley Middle School initiated its Paw Pantry in 2012-2013 in response to the growing issue of students living in food insecure homes. Since its inception, we have been able to send backpacks of food home each week with students living in food insecurity. In the United States, 1 out of every 6 children are living in food insecure homes. 12 million children in this country do not know if there will be food on table tonight when they get home from school. Fall Creek Valley is a middle school located on the east side of Indianapolis with a diverse population of approximately 1300 7/8 grade students, approximately 67% of which are participating in the free/reduced lunch program. We recognized there was a need that wasn't being met and decided to do something about it.
The pantry has had several community partners throughout the years that have allowed us to continue meeting the needs of our students, along with support from our staff and students. Our pantry is managed by our 8th Grade AVID students. They are responsible for food drives, stocking, cleaning and overall maintenance of the facility. Their fundraising efforts have allowed us to purchase a freezer and refrigerator in order to have perishable items available for our students, as well as purchase needed non-perishable food items and backpacks to serve our pantry participants each week.
It is important that our pantry students identities are kept confidential, so each student is given a backpack to transport food items home each weekend. Each week, the students return with their backpack and reload it with the food items they need to help their families.
The pantry is currently servicing 30 students each week but we have had as many as 40-50 at various times. Our average expenses for food purchases run about $700 per month. The pantry also provides extensive food baskets for our families over the holiday breaks (Thanksgiving and Christmas) that include preparations for a large family meal and staple items that would be used for daily meals.
Please consider giving to our pantry. All monies raised will go directly to purchasing food and backpacks for our pantry participants. Every little bit helps!
The pantry has had several community partners throughout the years that have allowed us to continue meeting the needs of our students, along with support from our staff and students. Our pantry is managed by our 8th Grade AVID students. They are responsible for food drives, stocking, cleaning and overall maintenance of the facility. Their fundraising efforts have allowed us to purchase a freezer and refrigerator in order to have perishable items available for our students, as well as purchase needed non-perishable food items and backpacks to serve our pantry participants each week.
It is important that our pantry students identities are kept confidential, so each student is given a backpack to transport food items home each weekend. Each week, the students return with their backpack and reload it with the food items they need to help their families.
The pantry is currently servicing 30 students each week but we have had as many as 40-50 at various times. Our average expenses for food purchases run about $700 per month. The pantry also provides extensive food baskets for our families over the holiday breaks (Thanksgiving and Christmas) that include preparations for a large family meal and staple items that would be used for daily meals.
Please consider giving to our pantry. All monies raised will go directly to purchasing food and backpacks for our pantry participants. Every little bit helps!
Organiser
Kimberly Duncan
Organiser
Indianapolis, IN