By Dr. Christy Haller

Exeter Township School District

Schools are often seen as places where students come to learn, but in many communities, they can serve an even broader role. Increasingly, school districts are stepping beyond traditional boundaries to help meet essential community needs, such as hosting health services, offering adult education, and, in some cases, such as here in Exeter, ensuring families have access to food.

In Exeter, this broader role grew out of a simple observation made inside a classroom. More than a decade ago, Karen Williams, then a kindergarten teacher at Lorane Elementary School, noticed that an unexpectedly large number of her students qualified for free or reduced-price lunches. What began as concern for her students quickly led to deeper questions about food insecurity in the wider community, especially when she learned that the 19606 and 19508 ZIP codes were among the most underserved in Berks County.

In 2011, with the help of area churches, community donations, volunteers and a dedicated steering committee, Karen and her husband, Jack, helped establish the Exeter Area Food Pantry. Reformation Lutheran Church became the pantry’s first home, and during its first month, it served just 10 families. But the need was real — and it was growing. Over the next several years, the pantry expanded steadily, serving nearly 200 families a month by the end of 2019.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

Almost overnight, the demand for food assistance tripled. At the same time, the pantry faced a serious space limitation and the need to operate safely outdoors. In what Karen described as a perfect storm of challenges, the pantry’s leaders searched urgently for a solution.

That solution came from the Exeter Township School District.

As community needs surged, the district approached the pantry and offered space at the Lausch Administration Building.

“It was just phenomenal,” Karen said.

The partnership provided the pantry with something invaluable: a safe, accessible and weather-protected location where volunteers and families could continue to connect during a time of crisis.

Since the spring of 2021, the pantry has continued operating out of the administration building. Each month, volunteers arrive days in advance to receive deliveries and stage food. Then, on the day of the give, the gymnasium transforms into a welcoming, choice-based “grocery store,” where families can select food that best meets their needs — from fresh fruits and vegetables to canned goods and baked items.

The partnership has also created meaningful opportunities for students. Senior high school students can earn community service hours by assisting elderly or disabled shoppers, helping carry groceries or selecting items on their behalf. In doing so, students gain firsthand experience in service, empathy and civic responsibility — lessons that extend far beyond the classroom.

Currently the Exeter Area Food Pantry serves between 200 and 350 families each month, a number that continues to rise. While about 90% of the pantry’s food typically comes from local hunger charity Helping Harvest, that gap has become harder to close as demand increases. In some months, Helping Harvest is able to supply only about 75% of what is needed, requiring the pantry to rely more heavily on community donations and monetary support.

The Exeter Township School District’s role in this effort reflects a growing understanding nationwide: When schools help meet basic needs, they strengthen the entire community. Families who are food secure are better able to support their children’s education, and students who feel supported are better prepared to learn.

By opening its doors and reimagining how its spaces can serve the public, the district has done more than host a food pantry — it has reinforced the idea that schools are not just educational institutions, but pillars of community care.

Dr. Christy Haller leads the Exeter Township School District, which is based in Reiffton, Berks County.