Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, NY -- Students and families at Richmond Preparatory Charter school now have access to an in-school food pantry, which provides a range of groceries and hygiene products. Richmond Prep, which is located on Richmond Ave. in New Springville, is one of the four schools within Staten Island’s Integration Charter Schools network. These Title 1 schools provide education to a total of 1,700 students, with most living in temporary housing and qualifying for free or reduced lunches. In recent years, the administration at ICS had grown concerned about how food accessibility was affecting students’ attendance and grades. “It was coming from the disparity of watching kids come to school angry and upset, and some not having breakfast at home,” said Terrence Smith, the network community school director. Through a $20,000 donation from Stop & Shop, which has been donating funds to the school network since 2024, the administration has been able to open two school food pantries at their two campuses. Currently, the pantries provide pasta, cereal, fruits, canned vegetables, rice, beans and condiments, as well as bath products, such as deodorant and toothpaste. Along with the funds, Stop & Shop also contributed an industrial-sized refrigerator to hold perishable items that are often harder to find at pantries. “Our kids can’t sit in classrooms without having nourishment, and knowing that their home is an extension of their school life, we are doing all that we can to ensure that we are there,” said Sean Harrell, the president and CEO of the ICS. At the ribbon-cutting event at Richmond Prep, Stop & Shop’s External Communications Manager Daniel Wolk presented the donation to the school, highlighting the company’s work to end food insecurity through their School Food Pantry Program. “We are here because hunger is an issue. Hunger is a major issue. Student hunger is an issue. Food should not be a luxury. Food should be a basic human right,” said Wolk. “It should be something that everyone has access to so that they do not have to worry about when they’re going to get their next meal.” According to Wolk, since the 2025 government shutdown began, the grocery company has donated over $50,000 to the Food Bank of New York City to assist government workers who are going without pay or those who rely on SNAP benefits. Their stores also regularly give out gift cards to members of low-income communities. “It was tough beforehand. It’s even more tough now,” Wolk said. “Hunger is not going away. When this government shut down ends... still, every day, it’s a fight.” One thing that makes this food pantry location special is that it is staffed by students. Angel Maldonado, a high school student who has been at ICS since sixth grade, is a volunteer at the pantry and is looking forward to contributing to the school community and supporting his friends. “I am really proud of what we do here as a school to help each other,” said Maldonado. “Having a food pantry here at Richmond Prep makes it easier for families to get items and eat without having to head to other ICS campuses.” Beneficiaries of the food pantries are able to communicate to the school directly through an app, which provides pick up appointments and confidentiality to those who may feel exposed or uncomfortable utilizing the space. Students are also able to pick up pre-ordered packed bags to bring home at their parents’ request. Christina Acaba, an ICS parent and former New York City Police Department School Safety officer, spent many years of her life donating to food pantries and organizing holiday potlucks. “While I wouldn’t say our family was well off, we were in a position to share with others, and it was important to me and to my family,” she shared at the podium. In recent years, however, Acaba has faced many challenges. She has been battling brain cancer since 2017, and her husband passed away earlier this year. These tragedies have led to her needing the support of her daughter Serenity’s school. “I too have been fortunate to draw on the pantry’s resources this year to support our family,” said Acaba. “The expansion of the ICS food pantry to the Richmond Prep campus is a great gift to our community. More than providing food, the pantry provides our children the opportunity to help and learn.” Along with the donation to the school, Stop & Shop also announced a $7,500 contribution to the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation, a Staten Island-based 501 (c)(3) community service organization, which will go toward feeding Staten Island families this Thanksgiving. Staten Island native, boxing trainer and sports commentator Theodore A. Atlas Jr., also known as Teddy, started the foundation in honor of his father, and has been supplying turkeys for Thanksgiving to those in need for many years. “Some people don’t care about other people enough. It bothers me and it scares me. But I come here and all of a sudden I say to myself, ‘Don’t be so scared, It’s gonna be okay.’ We have good people. The good people outnumber the bad and this is proof of that,” he stated after accepting the additional funding. Along with this project, Atlas stated that he would be donating funds to Acaba and her family. “It ain’t the food. The food is important. But it’s not about the food,” Atlas stated. “It’s people knowing they’re not alone and that somebody cares about them.”
