PIC Food Pantry Opens

On Thursday, Apr. 25th we officially opened the PIC Food Pantry at Clemens High School. The food pantry will be open Thursdays at the end of the school day for students and staff in need to pick-up food to take home.

Invitations were emailed from the school to parents of students that qualified for free or reduced fee school meals. The first day we served seventeen families ranging in size from 1 to 8 family members; total family members served was 62.

All were in awe to be able to access us at the school and were grateful we were there. We enjoyed visiting with and getting to know them.

We initially purchased 1,000 pounds of canned tomatoes, soup, tomato sauce, pasta, peaches, green beans, chicken, ravioli, chili and frozen chicken through our Partner Agency account with the San Antonio Food bank. Additional items have been donated by community members and an elementary school that wanted to help fill the pantry.

On Thursday mornings, one of our volunteers drives to the San Antonio Food Bank to purchase produce, meat and poultry. Then she delivers it to the PIC Food Pantry at Clemens; unloading, organizing and setting up for when we open later that day with the help of a few student volunteers from the Culinary Arts program.

She and two more volunteers arrive when it's time to open. A few students arrive to select items from the pantry before they have to get on the bus. Others a little later with a parent to select items together. Boxes are filled with breakfast items, food for dinner and snacks. Volunteers are also available to help carry the items out to the car.