CISPAC Staff on the Frontlines of Food Distributions

Communities in Schools Pittsburgh – Allegheny County program staff are still hard at work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, CISPAC site manager Laura Weiss, who serves at Arsenal PreK-8, was lauded for the impact of her efforts by Arsenal Middle School principal Patti Camper.Weiss was commended for her efforts to stock Arsenal Middle School’s food pantry with a variety of items for students. With the COVID-19 pandemic many students have lost access to reliable food through school breakfasts and lunches, but Weiss and CISPAC worked to gather resources so Camper could distribute food bags to those in need.The food pantry has become a food source that students can call upon to receive a variety of products including ramen packets, KIND bars and juice boxes. Camper uses the pantry to distribute two weeks’ worth of food to her students in need. As Arsenal is not a Pittsburgh Public Schools meal distribution site, this has expanded efforts to get food in front of more students.The food pantry has already distributed food to a dozen students and just went live the week of April 20th. Breakfast options will be available soon because of the teamwork of Weiss and Camper. Arsenal is one of several food distribution sites where CISPAC is helping. Other school districts include Sto-Rox, Duquesne, West Mifflin and East Allegheny.