Santa Fe High’s Food for Thought food bank offers food to both students and staff for free. It’s open every day for lunch at the bottom of A-building as well as for fourth and seventh periods. Mr. Pederson, who is in charge of the food bank, will also open it for anyone who is urgently in need of something. (He can be found in A-001.)

Mr. Pederson reported that bags of groceries are given out to 15 to 20 students a week. He would like more students to come and get groceries if their families are in need of them. More commonly, he gives out snacks during lunch. (Snacks are limited to one per day.)

Food for Thought gets its supplies mostly from The Food Depot, a local non-profit that collects donations from grocery stores and distributes them to people in need in the community. Most of the items they receive are canned and boxed food, but sometimes they receive fresh food.

Food for Thought also provides feminine products and underwear. “If someone were to have an accident, they could just come down here and change into new clothes,” Mr. Pederson explained.

The clothing bank is open at least once or twice a week but will be opened more if needed. (Clothing is never limited.)

All the clothes provided are donated. Mr. Pederson said that 80 percent of the clothes are used but in good condition, and the other 20 percent are brand new. Once in a while, he leads a coat drive. Most of the time it’s not necessary though because a lot of clothes are donated by individuals and are gathered through the Stuff the Bus event.

Stuff the Bus will be held at the Super Walmart on Dec. 1 and 2. At this event, which combines the efforts of many clubs and groups at both Santa Fe High and Capital High, any Walmart shopper may contribute clothes, food, or toys. The donations are used throughout the community, including at Santa Fe High.

Food for Thought and the clothing bank are run by Mr. Pederson, who teaches social studies, and Mrs. Pederson, who teaches life skills. Other staff also volunteer sometimes, and occasionally students. When Mr. Pederson was asked if he enjoyed the work, he responded, “Ya, it’s nice to give kids food.”

Donations of food, clothes or money, which are accepted in room A-009 or A-001, are always appreciated. “It would be great if kids could donate clothes,” Mr. Pederson said, adding that students would rather wear clothes that are more from their age range instead of older people’s clothes.