Hunger Heroes: Building Community with School in the Square
Despite the chilly winds blowing through this particular corner in Washington Heights, there was a warmth and excitement in the air, as community volunteers, students, and school staff made final adjustments to their stations and families began to arrive on a brisk Saturday morning in November.
No Kid Hungry New York was recently on hand for a special pantry distribution for School in the Square, where families received fresh produce and pantry staples, as well as a Thanksgiving turkey and traditional trimmings.
“With the rising prices of everyday household goods, we understand the challenges many of our families are facing to put food on the table. As a school community, we are heartened by the outpouring of support for our bimonthly pantries by partners like No Kid Hungry and donors like Fundamental Advisors, especially during the holiday season,” said Cynthia Carrion, Chief Programs and Engagement Officer at School in the Square.
Earlier this year, No Kid Hungry awarded a $15,000 grant to Friends of School in the Square, a program within School in the Square which has an 85% Hispanic student body. The grant helps fund a pantry that provides free groceries to students’ families, ensuring they have enough food at home. Since April 2020, the program has provided over 8,000 bags of essential goods, serving over 2,000 families and community members within the Washington Heights and Inwood areas. In addition to the regular pantry distribution, families received the ingredients for a full Thanksgiving meal, thanks to the generous support of Fundamental Advisors.
“Organizations like School in the Square that help put food on New Yorkers’ tables are so important–not just at holiday time, but year-round,” said Stephanie Wu Winter, Senior Program Manager for No Kid Hungry New York. “School in the Square has done amazing work responding not only to the needs of their school community, but to the needs of the broader community. They’re ensuring that kids across the neighborhood get the nutritious meals they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
Wu Winter joined School in the Square in distributing nearly 4 tons of food, aiding the immediate food needs of more than 200 families.
“Our community in Washington Heights is not only recovering from the pandemic, but also recovering from decades of poverty and lack of opportunities for families to make ends meet,” Carrion further shared.
As many as 1 in 4 children in New York City experience food insecurity, with Black and Latino children experiencing higher rates of child hunger compared to their White and Asian counterparts. Research shows that when children are receiving meals regularly, they are less likely to be tired, are more attentive in class, and retain information better.