MUSTANGS CARE EXPANDS WITHIN MATHEWS LOCAL SCHOOLS TO HELP STUDENTS IN NEED After serving Mathews Local School students
Students at the high school are able to
for more than a year through their food
utilize the pantry whenever a need arises.
backpack program, the founders of Mustangs
The pantry contains non-perishable food
Care have expanded the program to reach
items and personal care items such as
even more students. In October, they opened
toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo,
a food pantry at Mathews High School to
deodorant
compliment their backpack program.
products.
“Our goal was to always serve the entire
“I am very pleased with the Mustangs Care
district, all ages of kids. We just started small
program. We have students stopping two
to make sure we did not over promise what
or three days a week to take home food
we could raise funds for and support. We
for
were
following day.
overwhelmed
with
community
the
and
evening
feminine
or
for
hygiene
breakfast
the
We’ve also had a need
donations last year. Those were able to
among our students for hygiene products,”
support our backpack program and so we
said Mathews High School Principal Jim
thought
Stitt.
if
we
started
the
pantry,
the
community would come through for us and support it and so far they have,” said Jessica
At the beginning of the year, registration
Licata.
forms were sent home with every student in the district. Beyond the registration
Jessica Licata and her husband Tim founded
forms, there are no other requirements for
Mustangs Care in the summer of 2018 after
the program.
partnering with the Fowler United Methodist
to any student regardless of their financial
Church and Pastor Mary Prior. In the fall of
status. Mustangs Care accepts monetary
2018, Mustangs Care sent backpacks full of
donations
food
in
Methodist Church to support their efforts
In
within the Mathews Local School District.
January of 2019, Mustangs Care expanded,
Food donations can be dropped off at the
distributing
students
Fowler General Store in Fowler or Cortland
grades 3-6. Through the backpack program,
Bank Vienna Branch in Vienna. Volunteers
students are able to receive two breakfasts,
also help pack the backpacks once a week
two lunches, two dinners, two snacks and a
for students in grades K-6. To learn more,
fruit or vegetable each weekend of the school
visit
year.
MustangsCareMathews.
home
with
students
in
need
kindergarten, first and second grades. food
backpacks
to
2
Mustangs Care is available
through
Mustangs
Care
Fowler
on
United
at