Food & Essentials Hub – Memphis
In Memphis, Tennessee, one in six people is food insecure. This can be especially devastating for children. Research shows that kids who don’t get enough to eat may be impacted both physically and mentally. The impact of hunger is seen in school, where kids who live with food insecurity or poverty fall chronically behind their peers in class.
Dr. Lori Phillips, Chief of Family and Community Affairs for Shelby County Schools, says she’s seen how outside factors can wear down students, even when they’re committed to learning.
“At our last check, we had over 40,000 families of the hundred thousand families in our district living with a household income of $10,000 or less,” she says. “Over 90% of our students come to school each and every day. But they have so much adversity. So many of them face seen and the unseen challenges.”
But now one of those challenges has been answered: the Booker T. Washington High School in Shelby County is now home to a Food and Essentials Hub that will serve all students within the district. Here, students and their families can access food, school supplies, hygiene and household products, and other essentials they need to reach for success.
On the day the Hub opened, school staff members were eager to help get it set up and running. Clerical assistant Jacqueline Seaton said that she sees families experiencing the same struggles she did years ago as a single mom, and is grateful for the chance to help provide support she didn’t have:
“I want to serve every student here. I want them to know: we are here for you,” Seaton said. “I truly understand because I was a single parent. A lot of days, I did not eat or didn’t eat much. A lot of the others here today have told me the same thing. So this opportunity is amazing.”
Single mom Hazel has an 18-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter who attend school in Shelby County. She says that knowing her kids don’t have to worry about having things like soap and laundry detergent has eased the strain on their entire family.
“They’re more comfortable coming to school when they have the things they need at home,” Hazel said. “It’s hard for a lot of us out there, especially single parents, and this really helps us out.”
Another Shelby County resident, Shelly is raising her niece and nephew. She’s grateful for the support with food, and the stress it’s taken off of her budget.
“I didn’t have two things that matched in my cabinet,” she says. “I had peanut butter and jelly but no bread. I had tuna fish, no mayo, today. When they come home from school, they’re hungry. The food is a whole lot of help.”
We’re proud to support children’s education, and we believe that lack of food should never be a barrier to attaining one. And we know that you feel the same – that’s why you’re here, and why you support Feed the Children and the families we serve! Your impact is felt not just in Shelby County, but in the over 260 school Hubs and communities across America.
