(L-R): Troy CSD Superintendent John Carmello, THS Principal Joseph F. Mariano Jr., Brunswick Hannaford Store Manager Brent Caron, THS Principal’s Assistant Richard Hurley. Holding check (L-R): THS Social Workers Danielle Neri & Eugenie Gleason
Troy High School is pleased to announce a $15,000 donation from Hannaford Supermarkets to benefit the school’s food pantry. This donation allows the food pantry to continue operating and growing to serve our students and families. The food pantry supports any student in need, with no income requirements and no questions asked. Various foods and snacks are available for students, including frozen meats, meals and vegetables, refrigerated items such as yogurt and cheese and many non-perishable foods, including pasta, peanut butter and jelly, tomato sauce, canned fruits and vegetables, granola bars and pop tarts. This donation will help to provide additional fresh produce options for students.
Students can pack a backpack of food on Friday afternoons to take home, but the food pantry is available anytime if a student needs food earlier in the week. Students also frequently help with packing bags or organizing the food pantry, making it a community hub in the building.
Teachers and staff can alert the counseling center or administration if they know of a student in need, but any student can use the food pantry at any time. Beyond offering food and toiletries to students, the pantry also provides an opportunity to build relationships with students who may need that personal connection the most.
The donation comes in celebration of the recent grand opening of the new Hannaford store in Brunswick, which began to welcome customers in September 2022. Additionally, the donation is the most recent in a history of charitable giving from Hannaford to the Troy High School Food Pantry. In 2019, Troy High School was one of the beneficiaries of Hannaford’s “Fuel Kids at School” program, which committed $1 million to support the establishment of food pantries at schools throughout the Northeast.
“Our food pantry is such a valuable resource for so many of our students, and we wouldn’t be able to continue to run it without the support of our community, including Hannaford and the Regional Food Bank,” said Troy High School Principal Assistant Richard Hurley. “When we think about the barriers to learning, we often focus on issues like poverty, lack of access to resources, or inadequate education. But, hunger is an often overlooked factor that can have a profound impact on a child’s ability to succeed in school. By addressing food insecurity, we are playing a small and important role in improving the quality of life for our students.”
“As a committed community partner, Hannaford believes in nourishing our communities, including increasing access to healthy foods that fuel our bodies and minds,” said Hannaford Brunswick Store Manager Brent Caron. “We are pleased to support Troy High School with this donation, and thank the Brunswick community for extending such a warm welcome to our associates.”
“Working the food pantry is a highlight of my week and job here at THS. The pantry is a welcoming space that allows us to check in with our students in need and provide meaningful food support. Food should never be gatekept, and I appreciate that our pantry program helps ensure that,” said Troy High School Social Worker Eugenie Gleason.
“Being able to watch this pantry grow and be able to help provide food to our students has been such a bright spot in my time here at Troy High,” said Troy High School Social Worker Danielle Neri. “I have been introduced to students who I might not normally work with and formed closer relationships because of our pantry. Many students just stop down to our offices to get a snack and say hello, and it is great to be able to provide those small things that can really make a big impact in that student’s day.”