High School's Anonymous Pantry Offers Discreet Access to Necessities
Being a teenager is tough enough without having to worry where your next meal is coming from. At Washington High School in Washington, North Carolina, students are able to access an in-house pantry stocked with basic resources, away from the prying eyes of their peers.
In 2015, the high school’s former principal Misty Walker opened a hygiene closet in partnership with Bright Futures, an organization dedicated to helping schools in the community. She told the Huffington Post that she got the idea after being approached by students looking for basic items like toothbrushes and toothpaste. Today, the pantry stocks food, clothing, and school supplies provided by local donors.
If students ever wish to use the closet, all they need to do is confide in a teacher, counselor, or administrator. They will then be taken by a staff member to one of the school’s pantries where they can shop in a private setting free from stigma. Because the program is anonymous, there are no flyers hung up advertising the pantry. Instead, the administration relies on word of mouth to spread the news.
Washington High School's assistant vice principal Melissa Harris took over the project following Walker's departure, and she tells Mental Floss that today it's stronger than ever. "The food pantry is being replenished by partners and student organizations," she says. "Our carpentry kids are also participating in the overhaul and design of the new space. The toiletry closet and clothes closet are in constant use and our partners are assisting in keeping that replenished and it has been a blessing to our students."
Some high schools across the ｃountry have followed Washington's lead in recent years. William Penn High School in New Castle, Delaware, and Northridge High School in Layton, Utah, are just a few of the institutions with similar programs.
But Washington High remains ahead of the curve. In preparation for the holidays, the school is hosting food drives for its December backpack program: The plan is to send students home with backpacks filled with two weeks' worth of supplies to get them through the long break.
Article Source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/71578/high-schools-anonymous-pantry-offers-discreet-access-necessities
Image Source: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1b/22/97/1b2297e1c9734489be43e2decbc0b4b8.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Prying (adj.) ~ excessively interested in a person's private affairs too inquisitive
2. Confide (v.) ~ tell someone about a secret or private matter while trusting them not to repeat it to others
3. Stigma (n.) ~ a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person
4. Overhaul (v.) ~ take apart (a piece of machinery or equipment) in order to examine it and repair it if necessary
5. Replenish (v.) ~ fill (something) up again
6. Discreet (adj.) ~ careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, especially in order to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What is 'anonymous pantry'? What is the purpose of this program?
2. Aside from students, who do you think are the other people who could benefit from this project?
3. Do you think that this kind of program would be helpful in your community? Explain your answer.
