Cans of donated food, stuffed backpacks, and orange boxes placed around the school are all features of Park’s newly established program.
Students in the community service classes are starting an in-school food shelf, “The Bird Feeder.”
Community service teacher Sophia  Ross, first came up with the idea to start the food shelf based off the Spring Lake Park school district.
“My kids go to Spring Lake Park High School, and I believe their special education classes do something similar,” she said. “I thought it would be a great activity for our community service classes here at the high school, seeing as though our populations are very similar between those two school districts.”
According to the St. Louis Park School Nutrition Department, 34 percent of students are on free and reduced lunch within the high school.
While approximately one third of students utilize free and reduced lunch during the school week, Ross said many lack food when they are at home during the weekend.
This is the main goal of “The Bird Feeder.”
In order to provide for these students, community service members will collect food and will stuff backpacks for students to take home during the weekend, ensuring nourishment for these students outside of school.
Senior Jenna Behnken, manager of “The Bird Feeder,” said believes students are generally unaware of the amount of people these programs sustain.
“It’s weird, because when you look around, you wouldn’t normally think that so many kids need so much help,” she said.  “It’s really eye-opening to realize that not that many people can afford food, and that there is a big need for this.”
Junior Colin Monicatti, a student in the community service class, said he believes this will have a significant impact on the student community and learning.
“By doing this, we can make sure that kids who aren’t getting food during the weekends can come to school healthy and happy,” he said. “It will help their learning too, because they’re actually being fed when they’re not at school.”
Behnken said that donating is very easy and encouraged students to get involved.
“Anyone can come and donate food at any time, otherwise we’re looking for backpacks because we need packages for kids to carry out the food,” Behnken said. “Anyone wanting to can donate gift cards so families can go and actually buy food.”
Students can bring donations to the community service classroom, B226, otherwise collection boxes are available in the Media Center and Student Office for students who want to donate.