Holyoke school uses last week to help food pantry in need

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – A Holyoke school has rallied together to address an urgent need for food in their community.

School officials told Western Mass News that they saw a post online that Margaret’s Pantry, a full-service food pantry in Holyoke, had bare shelves heading into the summer. They decided to have a service project during the last full week of school, so students could bring in non-perishable goods and learn about helping their community.

Mater Dolorosa School Principal Mary Fedora today explained more about this learning moment. “Students I think, all, well, most children, maybe adults also, they don’t realize that there are families in their own community that sometimes don’t have enough food to eat and so, heading into the summer, especially families with children, we feel it’s important to give back and it teaches them how to live out their Catholic faith,” she said.

The school told us that, at final count, the students donated 550 items that will go to local people in need.

Copyright 2025. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.