North Putnam students learn to shop ... and share

North Putman Middle School students stopped to pose for a group photograph after delivering groceries to the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry.

Resource students from North Putnam Middle School (NPMS) not only learned how to shop for groceries but also give to the community.

The students, under the guidance of teacher Pat Schrieber, shopped for food and paper goods by actual experience. Based on their level of capability, students looked at menus, made shopping lists and headed for the grocery store. They found the items on their lists and loaded them into carts.

The group purchased $500 worth of groceries and delivered them to the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry this past week. Working with a special grant, the students were challenged with deciding what to buy and then doing so.

North Putnam Middle School students load groceries onto a cart to deliver to the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry. The students learned to shop for items, purchase them and deliver them.

They arrived by bus to the senior center and were followed by a truck filled with groceries. They unloaded peanut butter, cereal, paper towels and canned goods, stopped to pose for a photo and then headed back to the bus.

Lillian Riley, a worker at the Food Pantry was delighted to see the students arrive.

"This has been our best year yet for bringing in food outside the Christmas season," she said.

"It's outstanding what these students can do. So many people count on these items," she added.

Donations are always needed and welcome at the Food Pantry located at the Putnam County Senior Center in downtown Greencastle.