Washington STEM pantry finds a home

LYNN— Five years after the Washington S.T.E.M. Elementary School partnered with Stop & Shop to open a food pantry, the school is enhancing the service by renovating a part of the basement to better serve the school’s community.

Principal Anthony Frye said as of now, all of the donations are based in the school’s auditorium. The new space, the “wolves den,” will act as its own hub, freeing up the auditorium for other activities while providing a welcoming environment for families of Washington S.T.E.M. to use its resources.

“The point of all of this work is to set our students and their families up to be as successful as they can through education and that lens of education,” Frye said.

“In order to break some of the cycles that have been established in urban areas, education is that tool. So whatever we can do as a learning community to make that easier and more accessible, then we’re going to try to do those things,” he added.

Frye said the pantry now has a slew of parent volunteers and doesn’t just provide food, but housewares, furniture, clothes, and other items that are meant to meet the needs of families.

He added with the increase of parent volunteers over the years, the idea is that “this new space will be manned by our families. So they’re not only helping themselves, but helping each other.”

He said the pantry serves approximately 150-200 Washington S.T.E.M. families, adding many of the families are considered unhoused. He added new teachers and employees of the after school programs take advantage of the pantry as well.

The new space will also include a donated WhirlPool washer and dryer for students and their families to use.

All of these efforts are to increase student achievement. He said because class attendance has decreased since the pandemic the feature of the washer and dryer might help increase a students attendance to school.

He said this addition was a “no brainer.

“We have families who are living not in the best situations. If they can get their kids to school because they need clean clothes, then why shouldn’t I do that?”

Since the school first started the pantry, it has also taken on a community school model in which it has continued to partner and make connections with nonprofits and organizations to meet families needs in the community and enhance student engagement.

He said hopefully the renovation will be the beginning of enhancing the work done at the community school as well as creating longevity in the ability to provide solutions to families needs, rather than “telling” families what they need.

“What can we do to be a hub of the community and make it a place where learning is at the top of the mountain, and we all support each other to get there?” Frye asked.

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