Mini Mart program expanding this week in Beatrice Public Schools

BEATRICE – A program to close a food gap for students and their families that’s been successful at Beatrice High School, this week officially expands to the Beatrice Middle School.

Principal Andrew Haake says the district seeks to provide the service in a dignified way, to students and families in need.
"Our goal of our program is, with the Mini Mart, there's going to be families in situations where there are unforeseen circumstances where they have food insecurities for whatever reason. They need a day or two to get by, whether its for the paycheck or whatever it may be. The middle school and the high school has taken a position to try to fill that gap."

Beatrice Police Officer Zac Lauenstein, the BHS Resource Officer, says the Community Food Pantry provided a critical role in the startup of the Mini-Mart at Beatrice High School….and now it is benefitting from a Rotary Club Grant and partnerships with Beatrice Police and Russ’s Market to keep the program going and expand it.

"It's gone really well. One thing that we've added was not just the foods to take home to prepare nightly meals, or weekend meals or even breakfast...but also snacks throughout the day. Students can stop by the office and we have a snack basket where they can get a single item out of the basket for...if they had a late lunch or maybe missed breakfast that morning...that they can take care of the hunger needs and get to the classroom and focus on their school work."

At the Beatrice Middle School, Resource Officer Natasha Nesbitt says the second Mini Mart location should be in operation this week, located in the eighth grade floor of the building in Room 210.

"We've got all of our shelves stocked....just kind of ran through the logistics of how that's going to operate through the middle school. Our plan now is to have it open during our mentoring study hall period....so students can go grab the key, go in there and pick out what foods they are needing at home. They can either put it in their locker and walk home with it, or I will deliver the food to them at the end of the school day."

Persons wanting to individually donate monetary support can do so through a special line-item established in the school district’s budget….which helps sustain the program.  Educators often cite hunger as one reason why some children have difficulty making progress at school…when a basic need is not being met.