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Approximately 260 families received food and other needed items Saturday morning as Clinton City Schools and Second Harvest Food Bank joined forces for a community drive at Sampson Middle School.
Families received boxes containing non-perishable food items along with a meat product during the distribution, which drew volunteers from throughout the school system and community.
Sampson Middle Principal Kenan Lanier said the school was fortunate to be able to serve as the host site for an effort that reached beyond the walls of the school and district.
“Sampson Middle is really blessed and fortunate with our location, with our community, our group of volunteers to come out and just give back to everybody in Sampson County,” Lanier shared. “This has been a really good event.”
The principal noted the strong turnout among volunteers and called the drive an example of what can be accomplished through collaboration.
“We were able to accomplish something that’s bigger than just Sampson Middle School or just Clinton City Schools,” he added. “The collaboration that we have working together for the benefit of Sampson County is always a great thing.”
Among those lending a hand were Pastor Russ Emanuel and members of Olive Grove Church, Dark Horse queens, Dark Horse Fellows and members of Juntos.
Clinton City Schools Board of Education Chairwoman Dr. Linda Brunson said involving students in efforts such as the food drive is important to the district.
“We always like to involve our students in our community efforts,” Brunson noted. “Our deepest gratitude is extended to everyone who made this food drive so successful. Special thanks to Second Harvest Food Bank for being an outstanding partner.”
For Lanier, the impact of the distribution went beyond providing groceries. He connected the effort to the district’s emphasis on supporting students and their families outside the classroom.
“We want to address the whole child,” Lanier explained. “We want to address their families and their well-being, and making sure they’re taken care of outside of school is a part of it as well.”
With families continuing to contend with the cost of groceries and other household expenses, Lanier said community efforts can help place students in a better position when they walk through the school doors.
“Opportunities and different things like this allow us to strengthen our community, to help out those in need and make sure the kids of this community and this school district are in the best possible position to succeed,” he remarked.
City schools Superintendent Dr. Wesley Johnson echoed that sentiment, describing the drive as an extension of the school system’s role in the community.
“One of the things that we pride ourselves on is being a family,” Johnson noted. “We’re excited about having the opportunity to start Community Schools next year, and this is just an example of things that you’ll see from the community, with being able to provide food and boxes of needed supplies to our families.”
Johnson emphasized that food insecurity can directly affect a student’s ability to concentrate and participate in school.
“We need all of our students to be fully present,” he stressed. “You can’t be fully present, of course, if you’ve got hunger and insecurities with food.”
That makes caring for students’ needs outside of academics an important part of the district’s approach, he added.
“We’re taking care of the whole child, the whole family, and we see that as a vision for what we’re trying to do,” Johnson said.
The superintendent also pointed toward the district’s upcoming Community Schools initiative as an opportunity to build upon partnerships already established throughout Clinton and Sampson County.
Johnson emphasized that community support is nothing new for the school system, but said formalizing the Community Schools model could create opportunities to strengthen and expand those relationships.
“As we actually kick into gear with Community Schools, we are going to need to continue those partnerships and, like you said, maybe even to expand them so that we can ensure that we’re taking care of all of our families,” Johnson explained.
He acknowledged that families’ needs have evolved over time as household expenses, including food and fuel, have changed.
“We’re going to work to find individuals who have that same mission and vision to take care of the whole child and the whole family,” Johnson added. “We look forward to those partnerships in the future.”
Saturday’s distribution will not be the final such effort this year. Brunson said plans are already underway for another food drive during the holiday season, with the next distribution anticipated for early December.