GSA Student Pantries
Food, Hygiene, & Household Goods
Food, Hygiene, & Household Goods
Why Student Pantries?
Three top reasons students avoid school:
Thanks to a recent change in Texas law, a school can start a Student Pantry. Student organizations can accept, store, and distribute donated and leftover unopened food to students who might not have food to eat later at home. A pantry also can reduce food waste in cafeterias.
Proposed Items for the GSA Student Pantries:
- They feel like they don’t fit in
- They need school supplies
- They don’t have the required uniform
Thanks to a recent change in Texas law, a school can start a Student Pantry. Student organizations can accept, store, and distribute donated and leftover unopened food to students who might not have food to eat later at home. A pantry also can reduce food waste in cafeterias.
Proposed Items for the GSA Student Pantries:
- Food, Hygiene, & Household Goods
- Located in public high schools in El Paso County, open to the feeder pattern and community
- Managed and operated by the high school’s Gay Straight Alliance student organization
Objectives & Goals
The first objective of the TXSBOE1 GSA Student Pantry initiative is to address and raise awareness about student food insecurity.
There are two forms of hunger:
The U.S. food insecurity rate is 12.9%; more than 41 million people are food insecure.
In Texas, the food insecurity rate is 15.4%. In Texas and the U.S., the lack of food availability is typically seen in low-income households and with families who are affected by multiple, overlapping issues like affordable housing, social isolation, health problems, and medical cost.
1 in 6 children may not know where they will get their next meal.
In El Paso, the food insecurity rate is 9.6%.
There are two forms of hunger:
- Students who may be food insecure and don’t know where their next meal may come from.
- Students who are not food insecure but still may be hungry due to growth and development.
The U.S. food insecurity rate is 12.9%; more than 41 million people are food insecure.
In Texas, the food insecurity rate is 15.4%. In Texas and the U.S., the lack of food availability is typically seen in low-income households and with families who are affected by multiple, overlapping issues like affordable housing, social isolation, health problems, and medical cost.
1 in 6 children may not know where they will get their next meal.
In El Paso, the food insecurity rate is 9.6%.
Click image to read additional information from Feeding America
What are the roles of the selected high school GSA Student Pantries?
Addressing food insecurity:
- Schools are often the main food source for many children living in poverty.
- Texas law allows schools to start their own School Food Pantry.
What are the benefits of student pantries?
- Student Pantries are one tool we can use to combat hunger and food insecurity among students who are the most in need of such assistance
- Student Pantries help students become more successful in school and extracurricular activities
- Student Pantries can help decrease food waste.
How does a Student Pantry work?
In San Antonio ISD, school nutrition leader Jenny Arredondo has overseen the establishment of 10 School Food Pantries in campuses across the district.
Student Pantries that win the quarterly Superior Health Plan Grants also receive $5,000 in funding which can be used to purchase a clothes washer and dryer plus laundry necessities such as detergent and softener. In addition to laundry supplies, this funding can provide hygiene and feminine products for students in need.
- Read this handbook from a school that has implemented a food pantry.
Student Pantries that win the quarterly Superior Health Plan Grants also receive $5,000 in funding which can be used to purchase a clothes washer and dryer plus laundry necessities such as detergent and softener. In addition to laundry supplies, this funding can provide hygiene and feminine products for students in need.
Objective & Goals
What are the roles of the selected high school GSA Student Pantries?
Addressing food insecurity:
What are the benefits of student pantries:
How does a Student Pantry really work?
In San Antonio ISD, school nutrition leader Jenny Arredondo has overseen the establishment of 10 School Food Pantries in campuses across the district.
Student Pantries who win the quarterly Superior Health Plan Grants also receive $5,000 in funding which can be used to purchase a clothes washer and dryer plus laundry necessities such as detergent and softener. In addition to laundry supplies, this funding can provide hygiene and feminine products for students in need.
Addressing food insecurity:
- Schools are often the main food source for many children living in poverty.
- Texas law allows schools to start their own School Food Pantry.
What are the benefits of student pantries:
- Student Pantries are one tool we can use to combat hunger and food insecurity among students who are the most in need of such assistance
- Student Pantries help students become more successful in school and extracurricular activities
- Student Pantries can help decrease food waste.
How does a Student Pantry really work?
In San Antonio ISD, school nutrition leader Jenny Arredondo has overseen the establishment of 10 School Food Pantries in campuses across the district.
- Read this handbook from a school that has implemented a food pantry.
Student Pantries who win the quarterly Superior Health Plan Grants also receive $5,000 in funding which can be used to purchase a clothes washer and dryer plus laundry necessities such as detergent and softener. In addition to laundry supplies, this funding can provide hygiene and feminine products for students in need.
Cost
How much will the GSA Student Pantry cost my campus?
$0! Starting a School Food Pantry doesn’t require any budget.
$0! Starting a School Food Pantry doesn’t require any budget.
- Your GSA Student Pantry can rely on students adding unopened or untouched leftover food on prepared schedules, saving food from being wasted and provides other students with a nutritious food for free.
- Your GSA Student Pantry is strongly encouraged to apply for the Superior Health Plan Community Grant, see https://www.superiorhealthplan.com/providers/resources/provider-programs/provider-grants-program.html
- Q3 Application Deadline: 30 Sep 2019
- Q4 Application Deadline: 31 Dec 2019
Why the GSA Leadership?
- Your GSA Student Pantry is immigration status / legal status neutral - documentation, residency questions are prohibited.
- Your GSA Student Pantry is designed to remove the stigma connected to food insecurity.
- Your GSA Student Pantry creates an opportunity to establish authentic Gay-Straight Alliances on your campus and in the community. GSA Student Pantries provide leadership roles for an underrepresented demographic to fully participate in the mainstream student body as well as serve a need in the community.
- GSASP-specific scholarship of $500 minimum (50/50 match)
How will the TXSBOE1 GSA Committee Support my Campus?
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Campus
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TXSBOE1 GSA Committee
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Pilot Locations
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Bowie High School, El Paso ISD
Principal: Francisco Ordaz GSA Sponsor: Franklin High School, El Paso ISD Principal: Shawn Mena GSA Sponsor: |
Del Valle High School, Ysleta ISD
Principal: Antonio Acuña GSA Sponsor: Mountain View High School, Clint ISD Principal: Robert Trejo GSA Sponsor: |
Fabens High School, Fabens ISD
Principal: Anthony Prado GSA Sponsor: Transmountain ECHS, El Paso ISD Principal: Barbara Brinkley-Lopez GSA Sponsor: Jesus Marquez |
TXSBOE1 GSA Student Pantry Committee
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Georgina C. Pérez Texas State Board of Education georgina.perez@tea.texas.gov Georgina Arambula StuCo Sponsor, Transmountain ECHS gmlandin@episd.org Jose Rodriguez GSA Sponsor, Transmountain ECHS jrodrig6@episd.org |
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Ray Dominguez The Network d.ray30@yahoo.com Jesus Marquez GSA Sponsor, Transmountain ECHS jrmarqu7@episd.org Victoria Rodriguez The Network torirod1209@gmail.com |
ResourcesHOW TO START A GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE (GSA)
https://www.aclu.org/other/how-start-gay-straight-alliance-gsa Read the Texas School Food Pantry Law Feeding America: School Pantries: Helping Kids Thrive In School Rural Health Info Hub: School Food Pantries Salud America: New Action Pack: How to Start a School Food Pantry Texas Education Agency: Student Fairness in Feeding Act Resource Page |
GSA Bylaws (Template) &
Grant Application Assistance |
