From the sweet potatoes to the jalapeños, it’s all handed out with love.
“We really believe that food is medicine,” said Jada Ruiz Castro, Community Schools Health Coordinator at Aurora Public Schools. “If we give our students quality nutrition, they can operate better in schools.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, several APS schools united with community partners to combat food insecurity. They established a food pantry to serve their neighborhoods. Those small roots grew into a district-wide initiative that proves the power of working together. Now, APS families can visit eight farmers markets strategically located throughout the region and stock their kitchen shelves.
One of the market hubs is at Montview Elementary School. There’s plenty of crisp produce, donated clothing and an especially proud principal who’s marveled by the effort.
“An important vision of APS is to create community at each school,” said Joe Taylor, principal at Montview. “I think we serve as a proud model of what we can do when we partner with our community.”
An example of that cooperation is shown through the food itself; it’s culturally relevant. Ruiz Castro meets with school coordinators and family liaisons to learn more about the specific communities involved. While canned and dry foods are staples of the American diet, many newcomer families aren’t necessarily used to it.
“It’s really sweet to hear someone say, ‘Oh my gosh, I haven’t had eggplant since I was in my home country! Now I can have it,’” said Ruiz Castro. “To hear them bouncing recipes off of each other is really awesome.”
It’s not just the community showing their thanks for the care they receive. The volunteers themselves can’t help but smile as they express their own gratitude for the chance to help.
“It feels great to see that not only I care, but other people care about the community,” said Rocio Reza, a long-time school volunteer. When her family moved to Montview from Paris Elementary, she found it a welcoming place to continue her commitment to service.
When she talks about giving back, Reza encourages others to do the same. It can be easy to take food for granted, but the struggle can happen to anyone. “We all need each other,” she said. “Today you’re up, tomorrow you might be down.”
We might get knocked down, but with this community, we’ll never stay down.