SPANISH LAKE, Mo. — A North St. Louis County elementary school is tackling hunger while teaching students valuable lessons.
The free food market at Twillman Elementary School is helping families beyond the dinner table.
The Twillman Tigers school market opened up during the 2023 school year and gives families free, easy access to any kind of food they might need.
Principal Carla Leggett said it's become a flagship program at her school.
"Children can't learn if they're hungry, and so we want to make sure that those needs are met, and then the other piece too is we really want our families to be able to see us as the hub of the community and be a part of the community," she said.
Those needs are high, not only in North County but also across the St. Louis region as families continue to struggle with the rising cost of food.
According to the St. Louis Area Foodbank, one in every nine people in eastern Missouri and Southwestern Illinois face hunger.
Leggett said she's watched participation steadily increase at their school market.
"If you can see our empty freezer, so our fresh, frozen vegetables and our meats and typically our eggs, milk, juice, things that are refrigerated, they go pretty fast," she said.
The school market is one of many across the Hazelwood School District, but according to Leggett, what's special about Twillman Elementary's market is it goes beyond the food on the shelves.
"We had an outpouring of scholars who wanted to participate, and so fortunately, that allows us to have a rotation of scholars that get to participate at each delivery day, but they love it. They take pride in it," she said.
According to Leggett, the idea came about after adding a new staff member to their team and it aligned perfectly with their mission to "provide access, skills and support for lifelong learning."
The program allows 5th graders to learn the process of trying to apply for a job, while actually holding a job at the market helping with deliveries, stocking shelves and bagging the food for families.
"What that does is allow them to give back to the community. It allows them to develop a skill of empathy, and then it gives them a sense of belonging here at the school because it's something that they're committed to, and they actually look forward to those delivery days," Leggett said.
A commitment that she hopes will not only impact the students themselves, but also push them to leave a mark on their community for years to come.
"If we give them an opportunity to show pride and to give back to their community as they grow up and become productive citizens, they're more apt to come back to the community or stay within a community and continue to do the same thing," Leggett said.
The Twillman Tigers school market is open Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon or families can set up an appointment with a counselor.
The market accepts non-perishable donations and toiletry items.