The school’s guidance department opened an emergency food pantry a few months ago after seeing an increase in students who were going home for the weekend to a house with no food.

“They needed something to hold them over ‘til that following Monday,” said Guidance Counselor Mrs. Marilee Cassidy.

The Guidance department spoke to Principal Dr. Brett Cooper at the beginning of April, who sent an email to teachers asking them to bring in non-perishables in addition to the usual $1 cash donation they make on Fridays for being allowed to wear jeans.  

“The teachers came in with tons of food that stocked up that shelf so fast Dr. Cooper had to let the teachers know that they were okay on the food count and to hold off until it had some food taken,” Guidance Counselor Mrs. Sandra Gallagher said. “Some teachers wanted to know if it was okay to bring a whole case of food for the pantry.”

The Food Pantry is different than Operation Backpack, a nonprofit organization in Pottstown, which students have to formally apply to. They sign up for the weekend to take a backpack full of food home to eat.

The food pantry is more for emergency situations, said Mrs. Gallagher.

“You can take the food on a need-to-need basis.”

The pantry is located in the Guidance offices. Anyone who is in need of food is welcome to stop by, Mrs. Cassidy said.