CLARKSBURG — The Harrison County American Federation of Teachers will be collecting food items and donations at the old Kmart parking lot on Emily Drive from noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday as part of the Fill the Pantry Food Drive.
The food drive will help replenish food supplies in food pantries located in Harrison County schools.
According to Harrison County AFT President Renee McClean, she thought of the idea after receiving information that her school’s pantry, Mountaineer Middle School, as well as all of the other school pantries, were low.
“We just want to collect as much food as we possibly can so we can get as much food in the bellies of hungry kids (as possible),” she said.
Dr. Geraldine Beckett, Harrison County AFT treasurer, said this year marks the first year of the food drive, but foresees it continuing in the future because the need is there.
“We just wanted to help try to support our food pantries in local schools. Now is the time we are trying to build up our local (storages). We are trying to build up food pantries in the schools to help provide for families over Thanksgiving break and the Christmas holiday break as well,” she said.
Most schools in the county, Dr. Beckett said, have food pantries, including Robert C. Byrd High School, where she works. Many, including Mountaineer Middle School where McClean teaches, send students home with weekend care packages to ensure they have meals over the weekend.
When a pantry runs low, the teachers reach out in efforts to restore it.
“It’s something that the AFT thought we could help with. We’ve been looking for some way to help in the community, and this was one way we could help.
“These kids are going home over he holiday breaks and sometimes the only square meal that day they get may be at school,” she said.
When walking down the halls at Robert C. Byrd High School, Beckett said she passes students going to the cafeteria, some extra observant as to what is on her tray.
“They are hungry and they want to know what they are are eating. It’s a very real thing,” she said.
Hundreds of students in the county rely on meals from schools and the weekend packages from the pantries, and because of that need, Beckett said AFT wanted to do everything they could to assist.
“It’s definitely something teachers are cognizant of, is our students’ needs outside of curriculum and instruction. We are trying to provide a service to families during this time of year. ...We would like to be able to provide food to every school that is in Harrison County,” she said.
Canned food, boxed food and other nonperishable items, as well as monetary donations are encouraged. The monetary donations will be used to buy food directly for the pantries, Beckett said.
“I would encourage anyone that has something in their cabinet that they have not used in the last six months to put it together in a box and donate it and bring it up to (the old Kmart parking lot), she said.
