Gladstone School District’s strong commitment to ongoing community partnerships is taking shape in new homes being provided this fall at no cost to both the Gladstone Food Pantry and the Gladstone Kids Clothes Closet.
After a collaborative effort among Northwest Family Services, the Gladstone School District and the city of Gladstone, the Gladstone Food Pantry is looking forward to finding a new home in two classrooms at Kraxberger Middle School. The Food Pantry had been searching for a new home because the church currently housing pantry operations is pursuing a building sale.
“Being back on a school campus will allow easier access to food assistance for students and families and provide an opportunity for students to be involved. We are thankful for the community’s ongoing support,” said Food Pantry Manager Alex Van Pelt.
Kraxberger Principal Ben Hargrave said that he’s proud to partner with NWFS to host the Food Pantry at the school.
“It creates an opportunity for our students to engage in and observe generosity, accountability and commitment to our local and broader Gladstone community,” Hargrave said. “This partnership supports our school board’s and our superintendent’s goals and promotes belonging. We are honored our school can provide the physical space for this service and are grateful for the city of Gladstone for supporting their transition to our school.”
As we shared previously, in the spring things looked bleak for the Clothes Closet. It was housed in a Gladstone High School portable where a roof partially caved in, forcing the condemnation of the outbuilding. Despite assurances from district officials that the superintendent and facilities director were pursuing potential solutions, Clothes Closet organizer Becky Speulda said that there were some volunteers who thought that the free kids clothing service would be closing forever. The volunteers were pleasantly surprised when the district rearranged other student services and cleaned up a different set of portables for the Clothes Closet.
“Everyone was so open and anxious to have the Clothes Closet remain in the community, and the school district bent over backwards to make the old portable space bright and welcoming to shoppers,” Speulda said.
GHS Principal Amy Mikesell said she’s grateful that the school district was able to find a new location for the Clothes Closet. She commended the GHS maintenance team for working hard to make the old portable seem like a fresh new space for this important community resource.
“The Clothes Closet fits directly into Gladstone High School’s goal to help every student excel academically and in life after graduation,” Mikesell said. “Not only does the Clothes Closet make sure that every student can proudly walk into classrooms, other GHS students who don’t currently need these services get to see how volunteers benefit the community at large, and teens enjoy participating in the Clothes Closet’s regular free thrift shopping events.”
School district officials said that the city has been a good partner in helping in both community service transitions.
“This effort reflects a broader commitment to strengthening community ties, enhancing local infrastructure and ensuring access to essential services that foster public health, economic stability and shared pride,” said City Administrator Jacque Betz.
The Gladstone Food Pantry will be moving locations this month, so Thursday, Sept. 4 will be its last day distributing out of its current location. With its move to Kraxberger starting next week, the pantry will be temporarily closed. To find another food site near you during this transition, visit the Oregon Food Bank website.
The Gladstone Kids Clothes Closet will be holding its grand reopening at Gladstone High School from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Sept. 6. Find the portable behind GHS by following the signs on Nelson Lane.