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Lennox opens community school resource center at LMS with $1.9 million state grant
Summary
District community school coordinator updated trustees on a two‑year, $1.9 million implementation grant for Lennox Middle School; the center offers pantry items, clothing, monthly farmers markets and partnerships with local nonprofits.
The district’s community schools coordinator, Desiree Garcia, updated trustees on operations at the Lennox Middle School community school and its resource center. She said the state awarded a $1.9 million implementation grant to support five years of work at LMS and the district has spent the past two years building partnerships and a resource center.
Garcia said the resource center operates Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., is free to district families and currently distributes clothing, shoes, hygiene kits and pantry items; the center is supported mainly by donations, which she said represent 97% of the inventory. The coordinator described three farmers markets that collectively provided hundreds of fresh produce bags to students and parents and noted earlier holiday distributions of food and toys coordinated with Big Sunday and the South LA Sheriff’s Station.
She listed community partners that support mental health, academic programming and family engagement, and said the initiative focuses on four pillars: integrated student supports; family and community engagement; collaborative leadership and practice; and expanded learning opportunities. Garcia said the community school is moving from start‑up to deeper relationship building with families and faculty, and that monthly events and a planned summer library resource fair aim to expand reach.
Trustees asked operational questions about pantry hours and whether events are open to the public; staff clarified the center is currently for district families and that larger farmers markets have been open to the broader community on selected Saturdays.
Garcia closed by thanking partners and the board and previewed more events and outreach planned for the spring and summer.
