The Duncan Middle School‘s food pantry is running low on food.
The pantry, which serves students in need each week through the Supper Club, is almost out of food.
“We typically have 35 to 50 kids come down,” counselor Bubba Clark said. “We know that there are 80 kids signed up, but only about 35-50 kids come.”
Clark handles much of what happens with the food pantry and the Supper Club with the help of office aids and student volunteers.
In December, the STEM students put together a giving tree program that allowed students to donated food items to the DMS food pantry, but the needs of the students remain high.
Clark said a variety of non-perishable food items are needed for the school’s food pantry. A list of food items will be posted around the Duncan Middle School hallways to notify students and teachers of what is needed for the pantry.
In all, enough food is needed each week to feed 60 kids. Each kid typically gets four our five cans, a few snacks and a drink in the bag they take home.
Each bag given to students usually include at least two dinner options and snacks. Some of the popular snacks students like include Pop-Tarts, chips, tuna, granola bars, Ramen noodles, canned fruit and canned vegetables.
In addition to non-perishable food items, Clark said fresh produce is also good because there is usually never any fresh produce in the bags. Unfortunately, produce doesn’t last long and usually expires within five days.
He said bags of chips are a good idea because they won’t expire for a while and can be kept for a long period of time. Pastries are also a good idea, but they would need to be individually wrapped pastries.
National Junior Honor Society is helping to respond to the need of the food pantry by moving up its food drive, which was originally scheduled for late February, early March.
NJHS co-sponsor Derrick Miller said the organization will work to meet the needs to the students.
“We’re always looking for ways to help,” Miller said.
Anyone who has food items to donate, can do so by taking their food to NJHS co-sponsor Amber Molina’s classroom on the eighth-grade hall.
For people who are thinking about donating, you can donate your food in Mrs.Molina’s room (the 8th grade Science Teacher).
