The pandemic has taught us much about the needs of our communities and the importance of the village in caring for one another. When students were not attending classes, it became increasingly apparent that schools are a huge part of that village – in many ways. One specific way was in the schools’ offering of their King Pantry which provides food for school families and community members.  In collaboration with Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, ISD #317 is able to “…deliver food to families, they can pick it up at school, and we can send food home on buses if needed,” according to Full Service Community School coordinator, Deanna Hron.  Through the generosity of many community partnerships, including Forward Health Foundation, the King Pantry has been operational since 2016 and accessible anytime that King School is open.  For more information, or to reach the King Pantry, you can call King School at 218-246-8860.  Hron adds, “Our mission is to remove barriers so children can learn.”