Pawtucket school establishes food pantry through Stop & Shop partnership

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — The Henry J Winters Elementary School celebrated the grand opening of the Wildcat ROAR Store Wednesday, an initiative intended to address growing rates of food insecurity among students and their families.

Stop & Shop has donated a total of $12,500 to the Wildcat ROAR Store to help stock its shelves.

The company’s School Food Pantry Program supports 19 schools across Rhode Island.

Most of 550 students enrolled at Winters Elementary live below the poverty line and all students receive free school lunch.

Future funding for the Wildcat ROAR Store will be available from the School Food Pantry Program every year through its annual grants.

“We are so excited for this amazing opportunity to be able to partner with Stop & Shop and We Share Hope to offer fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other foods to the students and families of Henry J. Winters Elementary School,” said Maria SanMartino-Clinton, M. Ed, Principal of Henry J. Winters Elementary School.

We Share Hope obtains surplus food from partners in the food industry and distributes it to non-profits throughout Rhode Island.