When the final bell rings on a Friday afternoon, the academics may pause, but the mission of supporting our students continues. While the school day ends, the need doesn’t. Each week, volunteer teams of teachers, counselors, administrators, and faculty members pack up their vehicles and hand-deliver meals to students and their families throughout the district. Bag by bag, they carry forward a mission of helping the whole student - far beyond the classroom - ensuring no Spartan goes hungry as the weekend begins.
The Maine-Endwell Assisting Local Spartans (M-EALS) program has quietly become a lifeline for families acing food insecurity, especially during the holiday season. M-EALS began in 2009, when high school teacher Rachel Murat was inspired by the Major League Baseball All-Star Game’s “Go Beyond” message. Teaching Participation in Government, she challenged students to create a project that would leave a lasting impact in the community - something that would go beyond their time in school.
Sixteen years later, that classroom idea is a 501(c)(3) program, supporting 118 families weekly through donations, volunteer efforts, and student participation. Students across all four school buildings help fundraise, pack bags, share information, and more. On any given day, the halls of the high school are filled with students volunteering their time to ready bags for delivery. Recently, high school students helped pack 236 bags for the Thanksgiving Holiday, learning first-hand the impact of community service. Each week, deliveries run along 14 routes throughout Broome County.
“It literally is the village that helps us get through this. It would be hard to find kids who have come into our school district in the last 16 years who haven’t helped with it,” said Rachel Murat, M-EALS Founder.
Half of M-EALS’ food comes from partners like CHOW, Good Neighbors, local businesses and the Food Bank, while the other half comes from program funds and donations.
“There’s no possible way that we can be feeding our current 118 families without it being a team effort,” said Murat.
Food insecurity is often invisible, Murat said, yet it has a real impact on students’ ability to learn. During the holiday season, that need grows, making M-EALS’ efforts even more essential. In addition to M-EALS, every Thanksgiving, Food & Fire in Johnson City teams up with the district to cook holiday meals which are later delivered to families by our volunteers.
Supporting this great cause has become a tradition among our alumni. Recently, the Class of 1975 donated $5,100 to M-EALS, reinforcing a mission of service that continues to span generations. Sixteen years after its founding, M-EALS thrives on collaboration, empathy, and shared purpose. Students, staff, and volunteers all contribute to a program that is now a defining part of Maine-Endwell’s identity, and we thank everyone who’s made it possible.
More information on M-EALS, including ways to sign up or donate can be found here.