main content starts hereLocal businesses donate to MohonCARES initiative

| April 9, 2019

This year, the Mohonasen Central School District has been strengthening programs to help serve students both inside and outside the classroom. Across the district, students in K-12 are provided food, clothing and toiletries.

All programs fall under MohonCARES (Connecting Area Resources to Empower Students) and exist at different levels in each school building. Each school has a room where K-12 students can receive free clothing and toiletries: an Anchor Room at Bradt Primary and Mohonasen High School, the Next to New Closet at Pinewood Intermediate and the Draper Closet at the middle school. There are also food pantries and a program that sends students home with food over the weekend.

These programs largely exist because of donations from our families, our community and district employees. For example, payroll deductions from faculty and staff at the high school are used to purchase resources from the Regional Food Bank for the MHS Anchor Room.

“Research and common sense reveal that hunger negatively impacts a child’s academic performance and behavior in school,” Superintendent Shannon Shine said. “Hungry children have lower math scores and are more likely to repeat a grade, come to school late or skip days entirely. By addressing this very basic need for students, we are providing them foundational support for success. It’s not enough to say we care; we must demonstrate that we care.”

2019 awards

After increasing its outreach efforts, the district was able to secure several grants to help fund these initiatives. So far, MohonCARES has been awarded in 2019.The breakdown is listed below:

  • Stewart’s Shops donated $1,000 to the programs.
  • Price Chopper supermarkets delivered a $500 gift card to fund the Mohonasen High School Anchor Room program.
  • Hannaford Supermarkets has supported MohonasenCARES by donating $2,000 in gift cards to help stock the district’s food pantries, which help local families in need throughout the year.
  • International Paper awarded $2,196 to support MohonCARES.
  • Capital District Physician’s Health Plan, Inc. donated $500 to the Anchor Rooms.

How you can help

  • If you would like to support MohonCARES, you can donate online through the Schenectady Foundation website (please designate Mohonasen Central School District in the drop-down menu.)
  • Donate to the Regional Food Bank online at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1415634 (please write Mohonasen High School Food Pantry in the notes field.)
  • To donate to the other programs, you may send a check to the District Office at 2072 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303.