Meeting Kids Where They Are – All Year Long

At South Cameron High School, Tarpon Market – a school-based pantry named after the school’s mascot – has become a lifeline. Led in part by the school’s vice principal, Heidi Baccigalopi, and mainly supported by Second Harvest Food Bank, the pantry ensures that students and their families can access the essentials many of us take for granted: milk, bread, fresh produce, and protein.

Many families in this rural region must travel 20-30 minutes just to reach even basic groceries, and with only one local store, basic staples often run out. That’s where your support of Tarpon Market comes in.

During the school year, Tarpon Market functions as a school pantry to help students stay nourished and focused in the classroom. But as need in the community continued to rise, Second Harvest and the school’s leadership recognized a growing gap: when school ends, so does access to consistent meals for many students and their families.

In response, Tarpon Market became a summer feeding program for the first time ever – extending its reach beyond the school calendar to ensure kids wouldn’t go without food during a vulnerable time – the summer. And when summer concludes and students return to school, the pantry will continue to serve as a steady, trusted resource for children experiencing food insecurity.

Your generosity helps keep shelves stocked with nutritious food, expand programs like summer feeding, reach children in remote areas, and ensure children have the fuel they need to succeed – every day of the year.

In places like Lower Cameron, where access is limited but community is strong, your support helps build a safety net where no child goes hungry, no matter the season.

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