Mill Valley School Increases Capacity At Pop Up Food Pantry

MILL VALLEY, CA — Mill Valley's pop up food pantry at Tamalpais High School is ramping up its capacity to feed 375 families each Friday through pick-up and delivery services.

In a release, the Mill Valley School District said its food distribution is held each Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the drop off lane at Tamalpais High School. Those in need simply must drive through the drop off lane to have pre-packaged groceries placed into their cars.

The food pantry is a collaboration between the Mill Valley PTA Council, Mill Valley School District and Tamalpais High School in conjunction with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank and manned by parents and high school student volunteers and provides food like eggs and milk to those in need.

“The most incredible part is the number of our students who come every week to help unpack, sort, and repack the food” Emily Uhlhorn, Mill Valley School District Board of Trustees member and incoming Tam High School PTA President said in a statement. “Seeing them hard at work on behalf of our community is an unexpected silver lining during this incredibly difficult time.”

The food pantry began as a drive-thru grocery pickup at Mill Valley Middle School early in the shelter-in-place order. Jenn Morris, Mill ValleySchool District PTA Council leader, said organizers quickly saw the community's need for food assistance was greater than was originally provided.

“We were happy to support the efforts through the Mill Valley PTAs at the beginning of this process and have now seen this effort spread to be a true community endeavor,” Morris said.

The PTA then joined forces with Tamalpais High and the food bank to provide more food items to those in need in the area.

"Our families are facing incredible challenges during this pandemic and ensuring that our students have access to nutritious food is an important component of our community’s response to this crisis,” J.C. Farr, Tam High Principal, said in a statement.