The Family and Community Engagement Department hosted its first Houston Food Bank School Market. A large, refrigerated Mobile Market trailer pulled into the Spring ISD Community Engagement Center, filled with enough food to feed 250 families.   Attendees received canned vegetables, grains, bananas, apples, ground beef, ground pork, and other items to prepare full meals at home. 

This was a great opportunity to address an important need for our families, particularly as many people are still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Beryl.  

“It is clear by the sheer number of families here that the need is great, and we are blessed to be able to meet our families’ most basic needs,” said Tranita Carroll, Executive Director of Family and Community Engagement, adding, “The Houston Food Bank makes it possible to us to do this, and we are so thankful for them.”

The Houston Food Bank’s School Market program was developed to improve access to nutritional foods to middle and high school students. Located at the Spring ISD Community Engagement Center, this important resource is easily accessible to our families and will continue to help alleviate hunger in our community.  Last year, the Houston Food Bank served over 5 million meals across the Houston area, thanks to the School Market Program.

A key feature of the program is that it is mainly staffed by students who received training on how to set up products, restock, and manage distributions. This distribution was manned by 20 of our Westfield High School Mustangs with guidance from the FACE team members. In addition to  being an opportunity to practice leadership for our student volunteers, the School Markets provide opportunities for students to develop their social and customer care skills all while making an impact in our community.

The next food distribution at the Spring ISD Community Engagement Center will be held on October 22, 2024 and then every second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Families interested can register at the Spring ISD Community Engagement Center on the day of the School Market distribution.