HUGS St. Johns has received a financial grant for its 17 school-based emergency food pantries from the United Way of St. Johns County.
HUGS school pantries provide child-friendly items for food-insecure students identified by their school counselors who arrive to school hungry or who need to bring food home to prepare for dinner. The pantries are restocked each month by HUGS volunteers, and the United Way donation allows them to purchase needed food items that are combined with non-perishable food donations from the community.
"Our school-based pantry program has grown since the program began in 2017, and significantly since 2019,” said volunteer food program coordinator, Holly Ross. “The funds from United Way make it possible to continue to provide for the growing need here in St. Johns County."
“The team at HUGS does an amazing job of working to address a growing need with a mighty group of caring volunteers in our community,” United Way of St. Johns County President and CEO Mark LeMaire said. “United Way is proud to support this important hunger program serving children in St. Johns County.”
“We are incredibly thankful for our new food pantry for our students that are experiencing food instability," said Pedro Menendez High School counselor, Stephanie Toffaletti. "This service gives them peace of mind knowing that their school community cares about them and their well-being, while giving them one less thing to worry about at school.”
United Way of St. Johns County supports health, education and financial assistance through their support of nonprofits throughout St. Johns and Putnam counties.
HUGS St. Johns is an all-volunteer 501c(3) that provides food, clothing, shoes and more to thousands of St. Johns County children-in-need identified by school counselors, social workers and agency partners.
To donate food, host a food drive or volunteer to help restock HUGS' St. Johns County school pantries, email info@stjohnshugs.org.
