SMCS Food Pantry General Use
The SMCS Food Pantry is stocked, on weekdays, throughout the year with food, essentially comprised of canned, boxed, or packaged items that are shelf stable. Items placed in the SMCS Food Pantry are provided, free of charge, to anyone in the public who wishes to access the pantry and retrieve food items that help them meet their food needs.
The school does not discriminate against anyone with regard to race, gender, national origin, color, disability, or age.
The History Of The SMCS Mini-Food Pantry
The Mini-Food Pantry was developed with the leadership of Mrs. Carter as a sixth grade community service project during the 2016-2017 school year. The 6th graders realized the food security needs of our community from volunteering at the Food Bank the previous school year. Many 6th graders worked on this but four students in particular spearheaded the effort; Malaina Maal, Tori Verba, Selena Payment, and Emma Updike.
They had to plan what the MFP would be, and where it might be located. After all of their hard work, they made the proposal to the City of Soldotna at the city council meeting, and the project was approved. Mr. Moore helped build the original MFP, and Mr. Faris rebuilt it to it’s current form in 2019.
· Students stock the MFP with food bought at a reduced price from the Food Bank
· We stock the MFP each weekday with an average of about 20lbs of food
· In a school year we donate/provide over 2,500lbs of food in the MFP
· People in our community also stock the MFP since its inception.
· The quote on the sign tells it all “Take what you need, leave what you can.”
The History Of SMCS Volunteering At The Food Bank
In the 2010-2011 school year, with the leadership of Mr. Faris, all SMCS 5th graders began volunteering at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank two times a week for the entire third quarter.
· The next year, Mrs. Carter organized an Oxfam Hunger Banquet and our school managed to raise over $2000 for the KPFB.
· 5th grade students have been volunteering at the food bank for 11 years
· In 2016 SMCS put together over 750 bean soup mixes and donated them to the food bank.
· Mrs. Fann and Mrs. Kahn have helped 5th grade students at the Food Bank since we began volunteering.
· We want to thank Linda Swarner, Greg Meyer and all of the employees and volunteers at the Food Bank who always help us out.
