CTEA partners with Idaho Food Bank, community for food pantry program
CTEA food pantry items.
By LACEY WHELAN
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy, the Idaho Food Bank, along with donations from the community, are partnering to provide food for those in need as part of the food pantry program.
It is a year round program that anyone can access. There are no specific qualifications.
Jessica Wilson-Lucero, Chief Tahgee Elementary School Psychologist and Special Services Coordinator, is in charge of organizing the food pantry said the program started in April of 2018, when she contacted the Idaho Food Bank to organize the backpack program. The Backpack program is a service where students were able to take home lunches on the weekends. Once that program ended, the Idaho Food Bank contacted her and asked if she wanted to start a food pantry program, where they would be able to keep many food items and offer to anyone in need.
She agreed and said as soon as the program started, a large shelf, freezer and also a fridge were donated to store canned, fresh and frozen items. Since then, they receive a large shipment from the Idaho Food Bank, once a month, and she distributes as needed. Wilson-Lucero said because of the government shutdown, she contacted the IFB and made a larger order to keep up with the demand.
They also accept food from anyone who is willing to donate including frozen meat, and any type of food that is not homemade. The food must not be expired according to IFB guidelines.
She said the only information she gathers from the people receiving the donations is the number of people in the household such as elders, adults, and children and if the same families are utilizing the services every month.
Food pantry hours are usually during school hours, but Jessica said they can make an exception if there is an emergency. Once contact has been made to the school or her, she then has the people check into the office, as the same school rules must be followed for the safety of the students and staff, but once it’s done, she can take the families or individuals to the area to retrieve the food. Jessica gave her personal phone number if one cannot reach the school.
Wilson-Lucero recognizes they are still a school, they know the focus of the children are first importance, but when students can’t focus because they are hungry, that is where they would like to step in and help. She knows that sometimes things happen for a variety of reasons, and sometimes people need food. She said Chief Tahgee wants to be there for the community as much as they can and to help in any way they can — just as the community would do the same for the school.
Wilson-Lucero expects the food pantry program to continue on into the future. They’ve had small donations, and also some organizations have donated things as well, but not as much as she would like. They take any donations. Contact her at 208-240-4063.
