Dear Franklin County Technical School Community,
We are pleased to share that our FCTS Student Food Pantry is now open! The pantry offers a variety of non-perishable food items and is open each school day during school hours. Students who wish to access the pantry can simply reach out to their School Counselor in person or via email to schedule a time that works for them.
In addition to the pantry, supplemental food items are also available daily in both the Nurse’s Office and the Guidance Office for any student in need – no appointment necessary.
We are proud to partner with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to help stock and sustain this important resource for our school community. As part of this partnership, students accessing the pantry will be asked to provide a brief amount of information at each visit. The information gathered by the Food Bank helps them to source more food for our region and allows our pantry to receive more food as the program grows.
The information that will be obtained includes:
The total number of children, adults, and seniors that live in their household
Whether or not they have accessed the pantry since October 2024
If they have visited the pantry during the current month
We are committed to creating a school environment where every student feels supported, valued, and able to focus on their learning without having to worry about hunger. These resources are available to all FCTS students and will remain confidential as no identifying information (such name, date of birth, or address) will be collected. This process helps us to maintain our partnership and continue serving our students effectively.
If you have questions, or if you’d like to donate to help us keep the pantry and supplemental food stations stocked, please contact Taryn Canfield at [email protected] or 413-863-9561, x291.
Thank you for your continued support in making our school a caring and inclusive space for all!
Sincerely,
Taryn Canfield
In a separate interview, Canfield said, “I thought the food pantry would be an easy way for the students to access food. I can’t stand the thought of kids trying to get through the day and focus on their studies when they’re hungry. In order for us to be able to do our best, our basic needs have to be met and having a full belly is one of those basic needs. If we can support that during the school day, that’s great. We’ve seen the need and we’re addressing it.”
The FCTS Student Food Pantry is the first one in a Franklin County high school that’s for students only. The first donation came from a student who brought a bag of groceries to school and gave it to Canfield. The first large donation of food came from Our Lady of Peace Church in Turners Falls. The Brick House Community Resource Center in Turners Falls is the food pantry’s 501 3c sponsor..
There is no limit to how many times a student can utilize the food pantry.