Octorara Area School District (OASD) social workers Jenn Davis and Dawn MacKale noticed a gap. Students were not getting the food and supplies they needed outside of the school setting, and local food banks could not match the demand.

So, they came up with a solution that meets the students where they are.

OASD recently launched "Brave Haven," an initiative that brings a food and clothing bank onto school grounds to make it more accessible for students and their families.

"Constantly, there were families who were asking for help," said Davis. "Food, clothes, or household essentials. And until we started this, we didn't really have resources to give them. We could send them to community organizations in the area, but we didn't have anything to supply an immediate demand."

The new program is located within two rooms of Octorara's Learning Annex, which was formerly known as Octorara Elementary School. The building also houses some extracurricular activities and Octorara's Career and Technical Education program.

One of the rooms is designed much like a typical food bank, featuring a pantry with nonperishable food items like pasta, peanut butter, jelly and boxed meals. In the spaces where there is not food, there are essential items like paper towels, toilet paper and other toiletries.

The other room looks more like a community clothing closet, featuring garments of all sizes and forms, as well as toys, games and other household items. All the items in both rooms have been donated by students, community members and local businesses.

"It's just helping to serve the families that we come in contact with," MacKale said. "It's easier, because some families are more comfortable just coming to us because their kids are (already) here with us."

The program was conceived in the fall, approved by the school board in January and launched in the spring. Any OASD student or family identified by OASD counselors, social workers or administrators can use the program. All support is confidential.

The school community is rallying around the program. Individual teachers have started holding mini food drives within their classrooms, and the program's leaders hope to do formal drives in the upcoming school year.

"The social media blasts are helping with our communication director putting stuff out," MacKale said. "Our gym teacher is doing a battle of the gym classes ... It's just getting kids involved as much as we can."

Brave Haven utilizes rolling carts throughout the schools that students can put donations on. The carts are equipped with flyers where students can learn about the program and what is needed.

The school has also forged partnerships with local entities to support the program. The Grocery Outlet in Parkesburg has donated food, and both the Octorara Area Food Cupboard and the Parkesburg Churches Community Outreach have also assisted the program.

"We would really like some businesses to donate their services," said Cheryl Todd, a secretary at the district office who is also heavily involved in the program. "Maybe hair places so that kids can get haircuts or that kind of thing."

Donating gift cards, participating in school and community drives and sharing information to help families connect will help Brave Haven.

"(Students) can obviously go to the food cupboard and get a lot more than we have to offer here," MacKale said. "This is just kind of like a Band-Aid to get them to the places that offer more than what we have here."