‘The Kids are Alright:’ Partnerships with Youth in Bull City
For most high schools around the country, volunteering is a requirement to graduate, and an important opportunity for students to see their community through different eyes. For the Durham Community Food Pantry (DCFP), youth volunteers are valued visitors, from Duke students to high schoolers from surrounding schools. Highlighted this quarter is our growing partnership with the Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School (CRRTHS). As part of Cristo Rey’s Corporate Work Study Program, students spend part of their school week supporting DCFP’s operations; bringing energy, reliability, and a commitment to service that strengthens our mission and deepens our connection to the community.
Cristo Rey is a Catholic learning community that educates young people to become individuals of faith, purpose, and service through college preparatory curriculum and relevant real-world experiences. This summer marks DCFP’s second year as a partner in the program, and the impact has already been significant. As regular volunteer Bill Greenwood shared, “I’ve seen them grow and mature a lot while they’ve been volunteering here this school term. I enjoy working with them and seeing their growth.”
Over the past two years, DCFP has welcomed 19 Cristo Rey students, including their current cohort of five students spending their days sorting and distributing food. The students do one shift a week, for three hours. During that time, they engage in a wide range of responsibilities that directly support DCFP’s mission of providing nutritious food to families with dignity and efficiency.
The Cristo Rey students usually begin in the warehouse, where they sort and bag produce to ensure timely distribution, reduce spoilage, and ensure portions for households of different sizes are correctly measured. Beyond the warehouse, Cristo Rey students play an important role in creating a welcoming environment for neighbors in need. They assist with food carts, help load groceries into vehicles, and our bilingual students can help ensure that neighbors from many backgrounds feel understood and supported. They also prepare specialty food carts for social workers, helping streamline the process for professionals who serve families in crisis.
Their contributions extend to cleanliness and sustainability as well. Students help sort compostable produce for the pantry garden, clean carts to prevent cross‑contamination, carry out trash and recycling, and maintain the walk‑in fridges and freezers. These tasks may seem simple, but they are essential to keeping the pantry safe, efficient, and ready to serve hundreds of families each week. The Cristo Rey partnership has strengthened DCFP’s operations in tangible ways, while giving students hands‑on experience in teamwork, responsibility, and community engagement. Their presence reminds us that the futures leaders of tomorrow are among us, sorting produce and hauling carts.
Volunteer Coordinator Heather Wendeln shared: “Thank you to all of volunteers, especially our students, for being active contributors to the wellbeing of our community today. As we look ahead to our second summer with Cristo Rey, we are grateful for the students who choose to spend part of their school week supporting DCFP, for the educators who prepare them, and for the partnerships that make this work possible.”
