Quest For Spinach food drive
Dear Center School Community,
We hope this letter finds you well as we move into November's time change, earlier sunsets, and cooler temperatures. We’re writing together as your Co-Heads of School to share both a concern and an invitation for how we can act as a caring community.
In Franklin County, more than 11,600 residents were receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as of July 2025. In Greenfield alone, nearly one in four households rely in part on SNAP benefits to meet basic food needs.
This matters deeply for all of us. When SNAP support shrinks or stops, it isn’t just a challenge for individual families—it ripples across our whole local economy. Many families use SNAP at our local markets, farm stands, and food purveyors, so when those dollars aren’t flowing, local farmers and small food businesses feel the pinch too. In recent reports, local stores in Franklin County estimated that “one month of those folks not receiving this benefit is a $1 million loss” from our regional economy.
We are beginning a schoolwide food drive running through the entire month of November, in partnership with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. All donations will go to the Franklin County Community Meals Program, and our school’s donation will be delivered on December 1.
This drive gives our children a hands-on way to help. This week and next, both of us will be visiting classrooms across the grades. We’ll talk with students about why we’re doing this drive, how it connects to real lives in our community, and how the small act of bringing in a few extra items can make a real difference.
We also recognize that some members of our own school community may be experiencing food insecurity, and we want to ensure that everyone feels supported. Extra lunches and snacks are available in the kitchen for any student who needs them—no questions asked. Families who could use additional support with food access are encouraged to check in with us in the office. We can provide grocery gift cards and connect you with local resources as needed. Our hope is that every member of our community feels nourished, cared for, and included.
How you and your family can help
Look for the donation bins on the hallway stage across from the All School Room.
Pick up a few non-perishable items over the coming weeks (canned vegetables, pasta, peanut butter, shelf-stable milk, etc.).
Talk with your children at home about why this matters: when a neighbor struggles to put food on the table, it affects not just one family, but our whole community.
Consider also telling your children how local farms and stores depend on the choices we make together.
Thank you for being part of this community of care. With your participation, we can model for our students that generosity, empathy, and action go hand in hand. Together we’ll help make the months ahead a little more secure for our neighbors and a little stronger for our local economy.
With gratitude and hope,
Lauren Obregón & Amanda Richard
Interim Co-Heads of School