TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) - While many families are planning a big menu for Thanksgiving, there are several others who don’t know where their next meal will come from. Some students at Booker T. Washington High School depend on the school’s pantry for something to eat.
Most of the food in the pantry is donated by the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma at least twice a month. English teacher and pantry director Kate Remington said she has a list of 27 families she and her students deliver to every other week.
“Once we had delivered to about 22 homes for our students that we ran out of food. And so, we didn’t have any more food for the remaining five deliveries or any of the students who wanted to drop by the room,” said Remington.
She said the supply is running out because more students at the high school and their families just don’t have enough to eat these days.
“How can they perform in class? How can we expect that from them if they’re basic needs aren’t met?” said Remington.
Food bank executive director Eileen Bradshaw said the pantry sheds light on a much bigger problem.
“Hunger in Oklahoma affects 25 percent of our kids and if you go into your child’s classroom or an auditorium and you start counting that off that’s pretty dramatic. In Tulsa Public Schools that number is even higher when you look at free and reduced lunch statistics,” said Bradshaw.
The director also explained schools, like Booker T., can ask the food bank to help refill the shelves any time the supply runs low and encourages communities to stay involved.
“It brings awareness and really helps us be more empathetic, we can all get very busy, and our kids are busy in activities and all, I don’t think we always realize that just because we’re all sitting together in a classroom doesn’t mean that everybody has the same access to food,” said Bradshaw.
The school’s PTA sent out a letter with Remington’s plea for help—hoping the public will answer the call to stock the shelves.
“The community bands together to make sure no child feels alone and I think being hungry is one of the most isolating feelings and the feelings of alone that you can’t provide for yourself or no one’s providing for you,” said Remington.
The teacher said they're trying to collect as much as they can before school goes on Thanksgiving break. Without it, she said, many students and families may not eat at all those three days they're out of class, plus the weekend.
Remington also wants to start collecting hygiene products like deodorant, toothpaste and soap. Anyone with questions can contact her at reminer@tulsaschools.org. Donations can be dropped off at the school at 1514 E. Zion St. in Tulsa.
