D-backs, St. Mary’s Food Bank team up to stock school food pantries

PHOENIX — The ribbon has been cut and the pantries are being stocked at William Jack Elementary School and Desert Garden School in Glendale.

“Starting on Monday, kids will be able to go into the pantry and fill up a backpack with food to take home for the weekend,” Jerry Brown, spokesman for St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix, said.

Both the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Mary’s Food Bank said they will work together to ensure the food pantries are stocked throughout the school year.

Brown said the children will be provided not only with food for themselves, but for their families as well.

“Both of those schools have 99-percent participation in the free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs, so we know the need is very, very high at both of those schools,” Brown said. “The ability to have a weekend pantry where folks can come and get food so they will have food on the table for the weekends was very important.”

Brown said the hope is to add many, many more pantries at schools.

“Especially in the areas where poverty is at such a high level,” Brown said. “And you worry whether they are getting enough to eat, especially on the weekends.”

The school pantries are stocked with pastas, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, cereal and shelf-stable milk.

“All the kinds of food that is important to families,” Brown said.

Follow @mchriscarlson