Dozens of parents, teachers and community partners recently gathered at Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) in Orlando as The Lion’s Share School Market officially opened its doors.
“Food is foundational to everything that we do,” said Karen Broussard, vice president of agency relations and programs at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. “Access to nutritious food provides a strong foundation for learning and student success. When their bellies are full, they can concentrate in class.”
As part of Second Harvest’s School Market Program, the Lion’s Share is more than a typical food pantry. School Markets address two common barriers to childhood hunger: access and stigma. All students in the school are able to select free snacks, meal items and fresh produce without question of need or eligibility.
Initially launched last fall, the Lion’s Share School Market is housed inside the Community Room, making it easy for students and families to access. During the soft opening, 40 families selected common pantry items, enough to provide 938 meals.
“Listening to parents and students was an important step in making the market a success,” said Celine Rodriguez, a student pursing a master’s degree in social work at UCF. “I learned that pork and beans wasn’t as big of a hit as I thought it might be, and we changed some of the vegetable options based on feedback too.”
The pantry is currently stocked with a variety of snacks and non-perishable items, including peanut butter, canned vegetables, rice, beans, breakfast cereals, shelf stable milk and soups.
The Lion’s Share is a testament to the power of community partnerships. UCF College of Nursing provided the shelving and laid the foundation for this important piece of community health and well-being. Children’s Home Society brings volunteers to inventory, order and stock the shelves on a regular basis. And, The Mission Continues veterans built a mobile market unit for the upper grades and will help paint it in school colors this spring.
“I know what a valuable resource this will be for our students,” explains ACE Principal Wendy Ivory. “I was a single mother and there were times my boys ate me out of house and home.”
