As schools close for the summer and thousands of children lose access to daily school meals, Brilla Public Charter Schools is filling the gap with a month long food pantry serving families across its Bronx campuses.
The Brilla Bodega, operating on select days throughout July, distributes free bags of shelf-stable groceries while connecting parents to employment, educational and social services through Brilla’s new Family Resource Center.
The pantry offers donated nonperishable items including rice, beans, cereal, peanut butter, canned vegetables, pasta, flour and shelf-stable milk. The food was donated through the Hispanic Federation, which provided 7,000 food items for each of Brilla’s eight schools to distribute.
Although the pantry primarily serves families of Brilla’s approximately 2,500 students, staff said no one is turned away if they hear about the event through friends or neighbors. After its first three distribution days, the Brilla Bodega had served 396 people.
Located in the South and West Bronx, where food insecurity is rampant, staff said the pantry is intended to supplement families while school cafeterias are closed for the summer. It serves as one of several resources offered through the Family Resource Center, which officially opened this spring after years of informal family support.
The Family Resource Center grew out of years of helping families navigate challenges beyond the classroom. Staff said parents frequently sought assistance finding food, learning English, building resumes, accessing immigration services and connecting with community organizations.
Those needs became especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Reyes Claudio, chief of staff to the Brilla Schools Network, when many Brilla families —including undocumented parents who were ineligible for unemployment benefits— struggled to put food on the table.
“They had many needs that were more than just technology or access to school buildings. They could not access quality food or resources,” Claudio said.
“They couldn’t get food, and so we raised tons of funds to be able to distribute food. So anytime our families have been in need, we’ve been there to support them.”
Since officially launching in April, the Family Resource Center has hosted more than 45 virtual and in-person workshops, according to Brilla leaders. Programs include English conversation classes, resume building, workforce development, parenting workshops and immigration-related services.
“The parents are guiding the work that we bring to the Family Resource Center because we also want it to be fruitful for them,” said Sandra Tamayo, Brilla’s director of family and community engagement.
The center has also inspired parents to volunteer at the Brilla Bodega.
Janel Peters and Kimberly Sams, whose daughters attend Brilla, said they regularly volunteer at school events after seeing firsthand the support the school provides both students and parents.
Both mothers transferred their daughters to Brilla after unsatisfactory experiences at previous schools and said they have watched their children grow more confident since making the switch.
“My daughter flourished. Her confidence is way back up. She’s more outspoken, more willing to try some stuff and speak to people,” Peters said. “Before, she was more timid, more quiet… she’s more confident now.”
The mothers said they have also taken advantage of resources offered through the Family Resource Center, including job fairs and Parent University workshops that teach families how their children are learning in the classroom so they can better support them at home.
Their daughters also look forward to the school’s weekly “Roosting Rally,” where students are recognized for their achievements. For Peters and Sams volunteering is one way to give back.
“If we got time, let’s see if we can help out because I feel like they give our kids so much,” Sams said. “I want to be able to give back.”
The Brilla Bodega is open throughout July, operating on select days at different Brilla Public Charter School campuses in the South Bronx and University Heights:
- Friday, July 24: Brilla Veritas Middle (500 E 138th St, Bronx, NY)
- Monday, July 27: Brilla Caritas Elementary & Middle (2336 Andrews Ave N, Bronx, NY)
- Friday, July 31: Brilla Pax Elementary & Middle (2336 Andrews Ave N, Bronx, NY)
Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
