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Board accepts classroom donation and approves food-storage grants to expand building pantries
Summary
The board accepted a $3,000 classroom donation to L Elementary and voted to approve a set of DNR food-storage capacity grants (staff said they applied for 18 separate grants at $548 per building) to create resource hubs in every K—through—12 building in partnership with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank.
The Waterloo Community School District board accepted a superintendent—s recommendation to accept a $3,000 classroom donation to L Elementary and approved a package of DNR food-storage capacity grants to create building-based resource hubs.
Carrie Heising, principal at L Elementary School, and a teacher described how the CNS/Subaru donation will be used at the school, saying the funds are being distributed by grade teams to buy classroom supplies, supplemental books and social-emotional supports such as "pause desks" and fidgets. The presenters said the donation has been awarded to the school for a third consecutive year.
On the food-storage grants, staff said they applied for a separate DNR grant for each K—through—12 building and that deliveries and restocking will be coordinated through the Northeast Iowa Food Bank with oversight by each building—s family support worker. Staff told the board the grants furnish shelving and cabinetry that meet food-bank storage guidelines and allow the district to place resource hubs in accessible locations so students and families can take basic-need items "no questions asked." Presenters cited a decline in reported students experiencing homelessness from 293 at the end of last year to 177 as of the meeting day; they said the number of students in need may be higher because some families are not identified in district counts.
There was a discrepancy in dollar figures discussed during the presentation: the agenda noted an amount of $9,844 (item text), while staff explained the award process involved applying for 18 separate grants and said $548 per building in that application. Board members approved both the classroom donation and the food-storage grants by voice vote.
The board also discussed logistics including where pantries will be sited, how the food bank will deliver items and how staff will address possible misuse; presenters said restocking would proceed if a family took large quantities and that repeated misuse would prompt follow up by family-support staff.
