Schools
MUST Ministries to open more school food pantries thanks to grant
MUST Ministries received a grant from Georgia State of Hope seed funding supported by the Georgia Dept. of Family and Children Services
The innovative school food pantry program implemented by MUST Ministries is the new recipient of a Georgia State of Hope seed funding supported by the Georgia Dept. of Family and Children Services (DFCS). MUST now coordinates 33 public school panties in Cobb and Cherokee Counties and the grant will enable the organization to expand to two more sites.
MUST was one of 10 organizations honored following selection from 115 applicants. MUST is in current discussions with several schools seeking pantries, including Hollydale Elementary, Smitha Middle, Cherokee High and Oak Grove Elementary.
The $30,000 seed funding awarded is the first step and the MUST Neighborhood Pantry Program will also be a part of a statewide network called the State of Hope Ecosystem linking Must with other resources and opportunities to support families in crisis.
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The State of Hope is a movement throughout Georgia to create communities where children are safe, thriving and full of hope. The program encourages collaboration between nonprofits and the community to build local safety nets to prevent conditions that threaten a family’s self-sufficiency and possibly lead to neglect and abuse.
Georgia's DFCS manages the grants to support their mission of cultivating family-centered support systems by connecting, equipping and nurturing diverse community collaborators.
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“This selection is not only a financial blessing to at-risk children, but also allows MUST to partner with DFCS and other organizations in a broad network of non-profits who share a mission of providing support to children in need,” said Rev. Dr. Ike Reighard, Pres. and CEO of MUST. “We look forward to making progress together as we tackle the very difficult and broad crisis of children in poverty.”
MUST’s Neighborhood Pantry program was founded in 2010 and has grown to 33 public school sites in Cobb, Marietta and Cherokee schools. The program is a unique partnership between MUST the public school systems, administrators, social workers and educators.
School personnel identify families in crisis who struggle to maintain stability for their children, then enroll them in the Neighborhood Pantry program. The family “shops” for groceries in privacy after school hours. Along with food, families receive much-needed toiletries not covered by food stamps, such as shampoo, diapers, deodorant, toilet paper, toothpaste and detergent.
