MUSD Addresses Food Insecurity

by Holly Madrigal

The village of Mendocino might bring to mind million-dollar cottages where Murder She Wrote was filmed (rest in peace Angela Lansbury), but behind the quaint picturesque location is a living, breathing, deep-rooted community with enough property taxes and talented teachers to make a top-notch school district. In addition to achievements in academics, there is a much-needed focus on mental health. Mendocino Unified has a robust counseling staff that works closely with students to deal with challenges.

A little-recognized aspect of mental health is food insecurity. An alarmingly high percentage of students in Mendocino County qualify for free and reduced lunch. Sadly, school is often the one place where some kids can get a reliable meal. This was thrown into sharp relief during the pandemic, when school districts across the county became food delivery organizations. Ukiah Unified School District alone distributed thousands of meals to students and their families in need.

Cecilia Jimenez, LCSW, is part of the team at Mendocino Unified School District. In 2018, the K-8 school decided to establish a food pantry, using Cecilia’s office as a distribution point. “The idea came from a conversation with a parent,” says Cecilia. They used to hand out snack packs every week because some kids were experiencing homelessness. “After winter break, I checked in with a parent to see how things were going, and they let me know how expensive things get in the winter, not just from the holidays but with the increase of heating costs,“ she remembers. “The parent thanked me for the snack pack because it helped them get through the two weeks away from school. So for me, that really highlighted the need that a lot of our families had.”

Cecilia explains that, for some families, the cost of gas to come to town and access the food bank in Fort Bragg was unaffordable. “So that is when we began working with the Food Bank and the Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund. We’ve prepared as little as five boxes a week to 22 boxes a week during a Covid year,” Cecilia adds.

At the school, the staff let students know that they are always welcome to pick up a snack. During the holidays or over long breaks, counseling staff pack up boxes of canned goods, cereals, and other non-perishable items that students can take home. The school also installed a washer and dryer some years ago, so that students who may not have access at home have a way to get their clothes clean. At our school Diane and the kitchen staff went above and beyond to feed our students. I know the other schools did as well. Our school district and admin staff have been so supportive every step of the way.

During the season of giving, many worthy nonprofits may be seeking your donation dollars. The Fort Bragg Food Bank and all of the food-providing organizations in Mendocino County would be excellent places to contribute. These hard-working groups experienced an increased demand during the pandemic, and the current sharp increase in food costs has severely impacted their bottom lines. Please consider pitching in, so that no student in Mendocino County will go without.

Fort Bragg Food Bank — Mendocino Food & Nutrition Program
910 N Franklin St. Fort Bragg, CA
(707) 964-9404 | FortBraggFoodBank.org

Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund
PO Box 1616 Mendocino, CA 95460
(707) 937-6111 | MCCF.info