Teachers, community partners bring food security to needy students in Louisville's south end

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- In the south end of Louisville, educators and community members are working together to ensure no child at Waller-Williams Environmental School goes hungry.

With a significant number of students facing food insecurity, staff and local organizations have implemented initiatives to provide food boxes and pantry access to those in need.

Every Thursday, Alexis Zicher and Leslee Tapia-Trent make a meaningful journey. They pick up food boxes from Exodus Family Ministries, load them into their car, and drive eight miles back to Waller-Williams Environmental School in Shively. These boxes, filled with essential food items, are then placed on school buses, ensuring students have meals over the weekend.

“For some of these kids, it’s like a surprise," said Alexis Zicher, a mental health counselor at the school. "It’s Christmas day every time they get a box.”

While the joy of receiving these boxes is evident, there is an underlying reality that these small comforts, such as a favorite snack or juice box, highlight the daily struggles some children face in Kentuckiana.

“A little bit of sadness, because it’s like the Dino Nuggets are what made you happy this week or the juice was what made you really happy this week,” Zicher noted. “Sometimes those are things that other people take for granted.”

Approximately 25% to 30% of students at Waller-Williams receive these food boxes each month, with an estimated 10 percent facing an empty refrigerator at home every week. The impact of food insecurity extends beyond hunger—it affects students’ ability to focus and succeed in the classroom.

“It’s eye-opening to just put myself in somebody else’s shoes, like what would I want somebody to do for me?” said Leslee Tapia-Trent, the school’s community liaison.

In addition to the weekly food distribution, the school has a food pantry available throughout the school day, thanks to the organization Random Act of Kindness. This pantry provides immediate access to food, ensuring students don’t have to wait until the weekend for their next meal.

Recent data from Dare to Care highlights a stark reality: many families in Kentuckiana are forced to choose between paying for utilities and buying food. The collaborative efforts at Waller-Williams aim to alleviate this burden.

“It feels very heartwarming to know that a kid is not going to starve today,” Tapia-Trent expressed. “That we were able to help them and give them the nutrients they need.”

Through the dedication of school staff and community organizations, Waller-Williams Environmental School is fostering a compassionate and supportive environment where students can focus on learning, knowing they won’t go hungry.

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