SAN ANTONIO – Teachers and students are officially out of school until 2023. For some families, having the kids at home means more meals to prepare during the winter break.
With area schools temporarily closed, it can be challenging for some parents to come up with extra meals at home.
The San Antonio Food Bank has partnered with some school districts, like Northside ISD, to provide food for those in need.
“Have a lot of kids who don’t have the means to just have food in their pantry,” said Sarah Phillips, who runs the Peggy Carnahan Elementary School food pantry.
Phillips said the pantry isn’t just for registered students that qualify for free lunch but can also be a resource for the community.
“Anybody that needs it — so if it’s a family who has kids that are out of school or too young for school, but they qualify,” Phillips said.
Parents need to fill out a form, which is good for the year, and then every week, they can come in before or after school to pick up items.
The nonprofit Community First provides free-standing, weather-proof food pantries available for anyone.
Victoria Dimock, with Community First, said they have focused on the South Side and partnered with Harlandale ISD.
“People need access 24/7, and the food bank may not be open 24/7,” Dimock said.
The way it works is to take what you need and leave what you can. Community First refills the pantry monthly or sooner upon request.
“We’re not having people sign up. You can come any hour of the day, any time of the day, and it’s something that the community that you’re in can really get involved in, so you’re not driving across town. You can drive to the closest one near your home,” Dimock said.
A map of all the outdoor food pantries can be found here. If a business or church is interested in having a food pantry at their location, a request form can be found here.