Twice a month, Barbara B. Robey Elementary School pupils get a unique opportunity to give back to their families and their community.
The school receives about 10,000 pounds of fresh produce and bread twice a month from St. Mary's Food Bank.
Barbara B. Robey is an agency of the food bank because more than 60 percent of its pupils fall within the Free and Reduced Lunch program, said David Schwake, food service director for the district.
The program began five years ago when the school opened, Principal Melissa Wisner said.
"We knew our demographics would be more at-risk, in terms of socioeconomic status," she said.
The community surrounding the school has several Section 8 homes, which house lower-income families, she said.
"Initially, when they built out the neighborhood, they had Section 8 housing built in," Wisner said. "That's beginning to shake loose. Then investors bought up houses and now those are belly up or have been sold. We know there are multiple families in a home. We're seeing more and more of those."
So every other Friday, St. Mary's drops off large pallets of food, containing everything from packages of caramel apples to cantaloups, potatoes, carrots, spinach and bread.
Different clubs and grades from the school are chosen to help put items in bags. About 500 bundles of food are created during each farmers market, Wisner said.
"We're bagging food because today Leadership and Exercise is helping with the food. Every Friday at this school we give out food," said Joseph Figuero, 8.
Children aren't told they belong to low-income families and no child is ever identified as such, Schwake said. After food is bagged and tied, it is left outside near buses or where pupils are picked up after school. If someone wants one bag - or two or three - it's there for the taking, no questions asked, Schwake said.
On this particular Friday, a large batch of cantaloup was also delivered to the school. Because it is too heavy to be carried along with the other produce by the school children, it was left outside for parents to pick up.
"We call it a farmers market and our children have an understanding of that," Wisner said. "They know when they go home, this is food for them. We stress school service, community service. It's not, 'oh, the poor children are here and that's why we do it.' A lot of our families get by with this."
When the program was first introduced to the school, it served as a way to provide nutrition during weekends, Schwake said.
"I originally started doing it because on Monday morning I would see these kids get off the bus and they'd knock you down to get to the cafeteria. I'd ask these kids why they're running in there. They said it was the first hot meal they'd had in a few days," he said.
Now, the project has become one of community service. The food not only provides for pupils and families of Barbara B. Robey, but about 200 bags are also delivered to Dreaming Summit Elementary, where a large number of migrant pupils attend, Schwake said. The elderly are also offered food when there is extra.
"When I started this, I really thought giving them an extra bag of nutrition for the weekend was the most important thing," he said. "But I think we're teaching them how to do community service and help other kids. Community service is not necessarily taught in schools. This is just natural to me."
Parents, teachers and pupils give up Friday afternoons to help out at the farmers market. Verba Stone, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Thomas and Dysart roads, has volunteered with the project for three years.
"It gives me satisfaction in helping other people," she said. "It teaches the kids to do things and to learn. They're helping their families."
Children are given the satisfaction of knowing they can provide for their families, too, Schwake said.
"I've had parents say, 'take that back we're not poor.' And they say, 'but Mom, it was free.' I can't imagine how good it makes that kid feel to say, 'hey Mom, look what I brought home. Can we cook this tonight?'" he said.
Sara Drew can be reached by e-mail
at sdrew@westvalleyview.com.
