The Ithaca City School District (ICSD) aims to ensure every student has access to—and is choosing to eat—nutritious and delicious food in school. Through the district’s Child Nutrition program, every student receives free breakfast and lunch each day. As schools play an increasingly important role in ensuring students have access to the resources they need to thrive at home and at school, programs across our buildings are prioritizing initiatives that do just that. The expansion of the Ithaca High School (IHS) Community Market to additional schools is one such example.
After the success of the IHS Community Market, Boynton Middle School launched its own version—led by teachers Herianna Valenzuela-Silvain and Mariah Pelzer. The Boynton Community Market builds on the same collaborative, volunteer-driven model to make sure every member of their community has access to nutritious food and everyday necessities.
Similarly, last fall, Caroline Elementary School identified a need for consistent food support for families. Then-principal Caren Arnold, administrative assistant Kim Lattin, and school social worker Paul Rhudy, with support from IHS’s Rachel McDonald, developed a plan to bring the Community Market to Caroline. The program launched in February 2025, offering weekly online food orders, with parent volunteers from the Caroline Activities Committee assisting with transport and distribution. Unlike previous programs, the Community Market provides refrigeration, allowing distribution of fresh produce, dairy, and meats, in addition to non-perishable items and essential toiletries or clothing when needed.
Since the program’s launch, nearly 200 orders have been delivered to Caroline families. At the start of the 2025-26 school year, front office staff member Melissa Todi helped expand the program to reach even more households.
Across IHS, Boynton, and Caroline, the Community Markets now serve an average of 700 people each month. At IHS, food orders are packed by student and community volunteers, reinforcing the sense of shared purpose and service that drives the program’s success.
Most recently, the program also expanded to Beverly J. Martin (BJM) Elementary through the collaboration of principal Samantha Little and social worker Jamie Driscoll. Launching the week of November 17, the BJM market will begin with a small group of families before exploring future growth.
Behind the scenes, many ICSD staff make these collaborations possible—from the Transportation Department, which helps move food and supports students by having bus drivers carry heavy items on and off buses, to kitchen staff and after-school programs such as GIAC and A+, which coordinate refrigerator and freezer space to ensure proper temperature control for the students they serve. These efforts reflect the ICSD’s commitment to leveraging school and community partnerships to meet the needs of students and families. When students have access to adequate, healthy food, it not only helps students develop lifelong healthy eating habits but also improves overall academic performance.
The strength of the Community Market network comes from our collective commitment to meeting the needs of all students and families. Community members who would like to contribute to this work can support the IHS Community Market here.