PARSIPPANY — Brooklawn Middle School celebrated the opening of its student-run BMS Community Pantry with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, September 30.
Brooklawn Middle School student Prathiksha Thintukkal Thiagarajan cut the ribbon alongside Mayor Pulkit Desai.
The pantry is run entirely by students in the school’s Multiple Disabilities self-contained classes and coordinated by special education teachers Greg Espinosa and Angela Zinnes. It provides food and hygiene items to students and families experiencing hardship.
The program is part of the students’ job readiness and life skills curriculum. Under staff guidance, they organize inventory, stock shelves, prepare food bags and track supplies, gaining real-world work experience along the way.
The pantry provides food and hygiene items to students whenever a need arises during the school day. It also prepares Friday Food Bags for selected students to help with meals over weekends and school breaks.
Principal Carly Stout has called the pantry an officially approved initiative of the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District that operates with her full support.
Several local organizations have already stepped up to support the pantry. The Parsippany Elks donated $4,500, and the Parsippany Police Athletic League and the Sons of Italy also made donations.
The school continues to seek community support for the pantry. It accepts monetary donations, non-perishable food, personal hygiene products and gift cards to retailers such as ShopRite, Stop and Shop, Costco, Walmart, Target and Amazon. Checks can be made payable to Brooklawn Middle School – BMS Community Pantry. Sponsors will be recognized on the school’s Instagram account. The school also hopes to build ongoing partnerships with organizations willing to make an annual commitment.
To donate or become a community partner, contact Espinosa at [email protected], Zinnes at [email protected], or Brooklawn Middle School at (973) 428-7551.
