Menchville’s Food Pantry Program (part of the  Lead to Feed initiative)  is making a fierce impact against hunger. Designed to anonymously aid students who are in need, the program was put together by Activities Director Pete Mercier before Newport News schools went on Winter vacation. The original vision for the pantry was to provide students with an easily accessible source of nutrition for those who may need it over weekends and breaks; back-packs of food are packaged weekly by Menchville’s ROTC cadets and delivered to food insecure students.

“Long-term, the goal is to expand it’s (the Pantry’s) depth and outreach, but at present, it is limited to students listed as ‘homeless’ or those who have been recommended from teachers and staff as students who might need or benefit from it,” explained Mercier.

In order to ensure the confidentiality of the students involved, certain details about the program can not be disclosed. However, so far, the program has been able to aid multiple students at Menchville and neighboring elementary school BC Charles; an average of six students participate each week.

To common knowledge, Menchville is the only school with a self-supported program like this up and running. Title I schools, educational facilities in a socioeconomic situation where a high percent of the families attending are considered “low-income,” generally receive federal funding and assistance from the Peninsula Food-bank. However, Menchville does not meet that criteria.

“We’re not the only school with a back-pack program,” said Mercier. Instead, “we are borrowing the idea and funding it ourselves through fundraising and donations,” he explained, when asked what makes the program unique to Menchville.

Supplies for the program are purchased with money collected from various fundraising events, including Community Knight bingo grants on behalf of the Menchville Community Service Group and anonymous student donations.

Students looking for a chance to get involved with the program are welcome to approach Mercier, as inventory of items must be kept and backpacks must be packed and delivered to BC Charles weekly.