In a room filled with family size cans of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, Prell Shampoo, and miles of Kraft Mac and Cheese, an effort is quietly making a big impact on families in need. The Byron Pantry, a district-led food pantry initiative, was born from a simple yet powerful realization: food insecurity exists in every community, even those where people might least expect it. Spearheaded by three dedicated staff members - Susan Freyer, a classroom teacher; Nikki Yerly, a social worker; and Caryn Hoover, a paraprofessional - , the pantry has become a vital lifeline for local students and their families since its inception in 2018.

Nikki Yerly, who has been with the Byron School District for 19 years, recalls the moment that sparked the creation of the pantry. “Susan Freyer and I both had students who were facing homelessness and really struggling with basic needs like food,” she explains. “It became clear that snacks provided by teachers weren’t enough. Susan had the idea—what if we had a food pantry at the school?”

And with that, the Byron Pantry was born.

“We started small,” Nikki continues, “but the need quickly became apparent. Food insecurity doesn’t just exist in big cities—it’s right here, too.” Susan Freyer, who has taught in the district since the mid 90’s, stated, “Our families and students’ needs have changed dramatically over the time I have been teaching here, and we could not just ignore what was happening in our school community.”

For Caryn Hoover, who has been involved with the pantry almost from the beginning, the work is deeply personal. “I manage the day-to-day operations, from sorting food to packing bags to printing grocery vouchers,” she says. “The goal is to make sure no student goes hungry.”

The pantry provides food and essential items not just for students, but for their families as well. “It’s a real community effort,” Caryn explains. “The student council organizes food drives, local businesses set up donation bins, and even individual community members contribute. It’s amazing how everyone pitches in.”

One of the key features of the Byron Pantry is its flexibility. Understanding that every family’s needs are different, Nikki, Susan, and Caryn work closely with those who use the pantry to ensure their dignity is preserved. “There’s definitely some stigma attached to needing help,” Nikki acknowledges. “But we’ve found ways to work around that. Some students are fine taking a bag of food home on the bus, but for others, that’s embarrassing. So we arrange for parents to pick up the bags or find another discreet way to get the food to them.”

The pantry even offers a level of customization. “We have families fill out a simple Google form to let us know how many people they’re feeding, any allergies they have, and even foods they dislike,” Caryn explains. “Not everyone likes oatmeal!” she adds with a laugh. “We want to make sure we’re not sending food home that will go to waste.”

During the pandemic, the need for the pantry increased dramatically, and Nikki, Caryn, and Susan stepped up. “We were actually delivering food to families’ homes during COVID,” Nikki says. “It was challenging, but we knew it was the right thing to do.” Susan added, “We also held drive-up food drives, which again demonstrated the generosity of our community, as many families donated food or money to help each other.”

While the pantry provides essential food items, it also offers grocery vouchers for perishable items like milk and meat, which can’t be stored at the school. “We partner with Felker Foods, and they’ve been wonderful,” Caryn says. “The families can use the vouchers to get fresh food items they need, like hamburger meat if we’ve sent home a box of Hamburger Helper.”

The pantry is funded entirely through donations, and the Byron community has been generous. “People are amazing,” Caryn says. “I’ll be out in the community, and someone will recognize me and say, ‘Oh, I’ve been meaning to drop off a check!’ And the next day, we’ll have all the things we need for the pantry.”

The pantry also offers opportunities for the students in the Achieve Special Services Work Program to contribute. “The students help sort the food and pack the bags,” Caryn says. “It’s a great way to get them involved and teach them about giving back.”

Looking ahead, Nikki, Susan and Caryn have big plans for the pantry. “We’re hoping to set up a Venmo account so people can donate electronically,” Caryn says. “We already have a Facebook page and use the school’s website to keep the community updated, but we want to make it even easier for people to contribute.”

For Nikki, the work is all about solving problems and helping families get back on their feet. “Every family’s situation is different,” she says. “Our job is to figure out what they need and make sure they get it.”

As the Byron Pantry continues to grow, it’s clear that this grassroots effort is making a real difference in the community. “We couldn’t do it without the support of the community,” Caryn adds. “It’s been incredible to see how people have come together to help.”

In Byron, it turns out that food isn’t the only thing being served— compassion and community are on the menu, too.