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East Jackson Middle’s Kroger-backed pantry serves about 50–55 families weekly, students and staff say
Summary
East Jackson Middle School staff and students told the Jackson County Board of Education on April 20 that a Kroger-sponsored food pantry now serves about 50–55 families each week, provides hygiene and detergent donations, and has broad community support; the board approved the consent agenda that included a request to add a pantry door.
Joanna Bost, the school nurse at East Jackson Middle School, told the Jackson County Board of Education on April 20 that she began noticing students arriving at the clinic with headaches, stomachaches and fatigue and found the cause was often hunger. "They were always tired, unable to focus," she said, adding that a small request for food donations from Kroger grew into "a full size pantry, providing not just meals, but dignity, care, and hope."
Amy Bell, the school counselor, said the pantry "serves between 50 and 55 families each week," with food distributed both via bags sent home with students and by family members who stop by the pantry. She credited Kroger, iServe Ministries, Southside Church, Oconee Baptist Church and monetary gifts from the Eastside Eagles Foundation and the Jackson County School System Foundation for keeping the pantry stocked.
Seventh-grade students who volunteer in the program described how packing and delivering bags has taught them leadership, humility and empathy. "It makes me happy when I get to think that I make a positive impact to our school," said Ari Seibolt, a seventh grader who asked the board to consider installing a direct door to the pantry so access would not require going through the chorister area.
School staff described large in-kind donations, including multiple pallets of detergent, and said the pantry also supplies hygiene items and other essentials. Administrators and volunteers emphasized the pantry’s role in helping students be ready to learn: when basic needs are met, students are more able to participate in class and testing.
Dr. Brown, the district superintendent, told the student who requested a door that "under agenda item 7, consent agenda items ... there's a vote. And one of the parts of that vote is to put a door for your pantry," and said the board would "see if we can't deliver later in the meeting." The consent agenda was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote during the meeting.
What happens next: the pantry’s sponsors and volunteers will continue current operations; the board recorded approval of the consent agenda (which included the door request) by voice vote. The public record does not include engineering plans, a timeline for facility work, or a separate funding authorization for the door beyond the consent item language.
