Have You Heard of the Oaker Pantry? BY SUMMER MASON

Interview with Ms. Cone about the CHS Oaker Pantry

Interview with Ms. Cone about the Oaker Pantry:

Question: What is the Oaker Pantry?

The Oaker Pantry is a place where students can go to get a snack if they need it throughout the day. Snacks and hygiene products are in the closet across from the auditorium. In 507 there is a larger pantry where kids can get a grocery bag of food to cook and eat at home if they need food to cook.

Question: Who uses the Oaker Pantry?

Everyone can use the Oaker Pantry! Most people find out about it from talking to their friends who use the pantry. Some students only use the smaller closet for snacks, and some students use the larger pantry to get take-home food, too. Whenever someone comes in hungry, whether that person needs food at home or just forgot their lunch, the pantry is available.

Question: Who started the Oaker Pantry?

Four years ago, when Ms. Cone started, there were a lot of canned goods, but not really a lot for students to eat throughout the day. Ms. Cone doesn’t know who originally started it, but she and Mrs. Siemmao expanded it and moved it from the cafeteria to a new location so that more students could benefit from it. There is also a lot of help from the Life Skills program, who go out to grocery shop and organize the food for the pantry.

Question: How many people use the Oaker Pantry?

Ms. Cone alone sees 10-15 kids regularly a week, but other teachers and guidance counselors can bring students to the pantry too, so there are definitely a lot more who use it!

Question: How do you get supplies for the Oaker Pantry?

This year, the Stitch It Up club donated some funds to the pantry. Some other money comes from Spirit Week donations, and other donations come from students, staff, and the community. With the money donated, the Life Skills program goes shopping at BJ’s and brings back the supplies that stock the pantry. People can also donate non-perishable food and drop it off with Ms. Cone or with guidance, and that gets added to the pantry, too.