Cherokee High School recently celebrated the official opening of its new food pantry in partnership with MUST Ministries. The project is unique, Principal Todd Miller said, because it was proposed by student leaders.
“These kids have a heart for service, for kids in this community and for the needs in this community. Today marks the start of a great opportunity for our families,” Miller said, noting that 27 of the school’s families in need will receive a backpack full of non-perishable food and household products from the pantry each week at no charge.
The students who proposed the food pantry all participate in the school’s Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy program. Assistant Principal Jeremy Adams said the idea shows the positive impact of student leadership and service programs in schools.
The student leaders are working with Adams and Assistant Principal Liz Spell to involve all of the school’s service clubs in the next step: creating a care center that will encompass the food pantry, expand the existing clothes closet, plant a school garden to offer fresh food to families, and more. This support, Spell said, is incredibly important to students and their families, sharing how a mom recently broke down in tears upon learning of the help available to her.
This is the third food pantry supported by MUST to open in a Cherokee County school since the school district partnered with the nonprofit organization to step up service to local families in need. The first to open was at Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy in Canton, and a second opened last month at Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy in southwest Cherokee.
For more information, visit www.mustministries.org/neighborhood-pantry or call MUST at 770-427-9862.
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