TAMPA, Fla. — Most families with students are experiencing a lot of change since the switch to e-learning after the coronavirus pandemic began. But, one area of concern, falling outside of academics, that some families carry the additional burden of-- finding ways to feed their kids.
Some students across Tampa Bay rely on free or reduced lunch five out of the seven days of the week. That's why school districts set up meal pick up sites to continue to make sure students did not go hungry.
But, as two Hillsborough County teachers found out, food still continues to be an issue for some families.
Hillsborough County Public Schools says two of their educators, Meagan Inghram and Monica Rader, from Adams Middle School, have been checking in on students while they are apart and one concern that came up most was food.
Students were telling Inghram and Rader they were hungry, according to the school district.
That's when the pair knew they needed to help.
In under 24 hours, the teachers raised $1,500 in donations from local businesses and individual sponsors to purchase and deliver the meals to families who needed a bit more help. But it has only grown from there.
"To date, they have raised $6,600, allowing them to feed more than 20 families," the school district wrote.
Now, the middle school plans to build a food pantry to help with feeding students during the summer.
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