![An image of the new food pantry at Southgate stocked with food items.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2125-1-1024x409.jpg)
![An image of dozens of boxes of macaroni and cheese on a table in the food pantry.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2123-1024x768.jpg)
![An image of peanut butter and jelly jars filling a table in the food pantry.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2122-768x1024.jpg)
![An image of snacks stacked on a counter in the food pantry.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2121-1024x768.jpg)
![An image of soup and other canned goods lining the shelves at the food pantry.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2120-1024x768.jpg)
![An image of dozens of tuna cans stacked on the shelves of the food pantry.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2119-1-768x1024.jpg)
![An image of breakfast items like oatmeal and cereal on a shelf in the food pantry.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/image-1.jpeg)
![An image of hundreds of non-perishable food items donated to the Southgate food pantry.](https://www.northcolonie.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2117-1-1024x768.jpg)
In just a ten day period, Southgate community members answered the call, gathering more than 7,100 food items for the school’s new food pantry. The “Gators Helping Gators” initiative filled an entire classroom with non-perishable food items like pasta, sauce, cereal, tuna, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese and other snacks. The food will be distributed to students and families in need at Southgate through the backpack program.
While students, staff, parents and community members were busy donating to fill the pantry, Principal Dedrick applied for a grant, which the school received through the Seymour Fox Foundation! That grant will fund the food pantry for at least the remainder of the school year. Congratulations to all those involved in helping to stock the pantry during the holidays! Nothing says “season of giving” like helping our friends in need.