The Merc: You Belong Here

By Heidi B.

The Mustang Merc is a resource room for families in need and a place for kids to feel a sense of belonging.

Ellie Baker is the director of the program and her main goal is to provide healthy nutritious food to all Mustang families as well as other families in the district. She also wants to create a  safe place for kids who need it. Every week there are 200+ families that come to the Merc to pick up a box full of food. These families are truly in need and appreciate their food very much. Ellie gives out around 30,000 pounds of food every week on Thursday. This does not include the families who come during the week to pick up food boxes. “This is all made possible by our wonderful student volunteers” exclaims Ellie.

I began volunteering at the food bank after some really rough times at home and I needed a place to go that wasn't home. I began to come to the Merc every Thursday and volunteer. I began to feel like I was actually wanted somewhere. I was never needed nor did I think I have a purpose at home. This began to be my safe place. 

Unfortunately, some kids do come every week trying to get snacks and begin to use the Merc as a place to get things that they really don't need. These kids who come to get snacks don't exactly fully appreciate the full extent of what the Merc is really there for. We need to educate students that the Merc has a larger mission than just snacks. There are many rewards to volunteering at the Merc!

There are so many families who come to get things that they usually can't get outside of the Merc and seeing the smiles of little kids when they get to decide what kind of food they want to take home makes it ten times better. It makes you feel like you are finally doing something good!  We have students every week that come to volunteer for community service. In terms of school as a whole, some of the volunteers are seen as the “bad” kids. But they are extremely helpful and love to volunteer at the merc. These kids are disconnected from many things and don't always have a place they can say they belong. When they come to the Merc and volunteer they get a sense that they are accepted and don't have to worry about being a “bad kid”. “These kids will see little old ladies and jump in to help them to their cars without being asked,” reports Baker. These kids often feel disconnected from their school and other students. Volunteering at the merc makes kids feel that they have a purpose. “Last week two of my kids got suspended. They called me and their biggest fear was they couldn't help at the food bank… they felt needed!”

Yes there are many people who think the Merc is just for families in need or a “free hand-out” but we make kids here on The Mountain feel needed and wanted.