For Immediate Release

Friday, April 5, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Medway’s Burke-Memorial Elementary School Officially Opens In-School Food Pantry

MEDWAY — Superintendent Armand Pires is pleased to announce that a ribbon cutting ceremony was held today to officially open the Burke-Memorial Elementary School’s new in-school food pantry for students in need.

“Now that the pantry is open, we hope we can begin to offer assistance to some of our students in need and provide them with food to bring home over the weekend,” Superintendent Pires said. “We are thrilled to be working alongside the folks at the Medway Village Church Food Pantry and will be relying on their expertise as we move forward.”

Superintendent Pires, Burke-Memorial Principal Amanda Luizzi, Medway Public Schools Wellness Director Ryan Sherman and Medway Village Church Food Pantry Director Susan Dietrich gathered at the pantry Friday morning to launch the new program.

The pantry will be staffed by parents, students and community volunteers working alongside volunteers from the Medway Village Church Food Pantry.

This past summer, Medway Public Schools officials partnered with representatives of the YMCA and the Medway Village Church Food Pantry to create a program that would supply students in need with food for the weekend.

In January, Stop and Shop awarded Medway Public Schools a $1,600 grant to help build shelves, purchase backpacks and buy food for the new program.

The optional program will start by serving a group of about 15 students. Those students will be among 50 to 70 children who are eligible for free and reduced lunches at the school.

Each week, volunteer staff will put backpacks full of food together for the select students who will benefit the most from the program. Those students will go to the pantry before the end of the school day on Friday and will receive backpacks filled with simple foods that students can eat on their own, like granola bars and apple sauce, as well as meals they can prepare with an adult, like a pasta dinner.

Those interested in volunteering can email Ryan Sherman at rsherman@medwayschools.org.

Those interested in donating food items to support the new program can do so by leaving bags marked “Food Pantry” at the church office of Medway Village Church at 170 Village St.

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