A local high school in East New York is working to fight food insecurity through a partnership with Stop & Shop by getting a student food pantry up and running.

According to Feeding America, food insecurity affects over 130,000 kids in Kings County, making it the fifth-largest food-insecure population in the country. William H. Maxwell High School freshman Gayzel is one of them.

“I was really really struggling and I was really at my lowest,” said Gayzel. “And then the pantry, it really helped me because sometimes I wouldn't have food at home and I would just eat the food at the school and at the pantry.”

For Principal John Rullan, who started at Maxwell two years ago, getting the student pantry operating was a top priority. Rullan reached out to Stop & Shop to work and get the pantry what it needed to thrive.

“This school pantry received $13,500 from us - $12,500 in gift cards and $1,000 in product,” said Daniel Wolk, communications representative of Stop & Shop. “The idea is that no student should go to bed hungry, no student should go to school hungry."

The pantry offers and array of choices and is not only available to the students, but to parents as well via school functions or by appointment.