BUCKHANNON — Upshur County Schools has received a 2020-2021 COVID-19 Emergency Response Initiative Award in the amount of $20,900 for the Summer Feeding Program.

Janell Ray, Chief Executive Officer of the Pallottine Foundation, shares, “The Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon and its Board of Trustees appreciate and value the services Upshur County Schools is providing to the community during the pandemic outbreak.”

The work of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, which began in Buckhannon in 1921 with the formation of St. Joseph’s Hospital, continues through the work of the Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon, West Virginia.

The Sisters, through their sponsorship of the Foundation, will continue their legacy of care and outreach to the community they have served for so long and with such dedication for many years to come. The foundation upholds the mission “to support transformative health initiatives that empower all individuals to lead lives of optimal health, self-reliance, and self-respect, and to foster systemic change and collaborative impact in our community.”

Superintendent Dr. Sara Stankus said, “The work and focus on food insecurity upheld by the Pallottine Foundation in Buckhannon is extremely important during this national pandemic. With nearly 3,800 students enrolled in Upshur County, 55 percent of our students are living in poverty and 441 students are identified as homeless.”

“The impact of food insecurity for our children is coupled with many other risk factors,” she added. “We are blessed to have a supportive community.”

In receiving the Pallottine Grant, the Upshur County School system will further support our students, families and communities through the Summer Feeding Program. Upshur County Schools is honored to be selected as the recipient of the Pallottine Foundation Grant.