Outside the Viper Nation Supply Station at Space Coast Junior Senior High School, a line stretches across the entire stage on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“We’ve got a little something for everybody,” explains Victoria, a student volunteer. A storage closet to the side of the stage transformed into a school market where students shop for everything from canned goods to snacks to school supplies.
“It’s really blossomed into this really much bigger thing,” adds Victoria.
Watch how students stock their school market thanks to this behind-the-scene look with WESH 2 News.
One in five Central Florida kids is at risk of facing hunger, an unsettling statistic. Childhood hunger poses risks to growth, development, academic achievement, and more. Victoria and other students know that even a small action can make a difference in someone's day. They stock the shelves before school so their classmates can access delicious treats and essential nonperishable items, like canned tuna, beans, pasta, and taco meal kits.
“We do have students in our school who have major food insecurities,” explains Keri Weeks, a school guidance clerk. “And they are really good at hiding it.”
There is no one face of childhood hunger. Each student has a unique set of circumstances. When students have access to the nutritious food they need to focus in class, they can face algebra or anything else that comes their way. If Keri and her student volunteers can alleviate one worry for a student or brighten their day with a treat, that is a win.
“A student shouldn’t have to worry or think all the time about when their next meal is going to be or that they’re hungry. It affects their education. It affects everything,” says Keri.
Joining Second Harvest’s School Partnerships Program has enabled Keri to connect with students and build their trust. The market is open to all students to reduce stigma. One student may come in for a granola bar, while another is grabbing a granola bar and ramen for dinner that evening.
“I’ve always wanted to help people in any way I can,” says Thomas, a student volunteer. “With this store, I’m helping people I don’t even know. It makes me feel like I have a purpose for this school.”
Together with volunteers, financial supporters, and a caring community, students are empowered to have the nutrition they need to succeed in school and in life.
Fueling student success.
$10 can provide 40 meals for students and families facing hunger.
