This past week, the Belair Cooperative Nursery School 4/5s class, led by Stephanie Marrone, took two field trips. The first trip involved trekking next door, to the Bowie Interfaith Pantry and Emergency Fund organization, a community-based social services program providing emergency food and financial assistance to those in Bowie and Prince George's County. The students received a tour of the food pantry and its facilities, learned about its operations, and even made a shopping list based on the needs of the food pantry. It turned out that the Bowie Interfaith Pantry has had a shortage of food because of residents in need due to Hurricane Sandy.

A few days later, the students made their second trip to Giant Foods in order to buy the items on the shopping list, for the food pantry. The students received a tour of the grocery store, and each student, armed with seven dollars, bought various items for the food pantry, including can and dried goods, and other necessary items. After the shopping trip, the class delivered the food to the pantry.

Through the two field trips, students learned about how communities come together to provide for needy families, and how to pull together an important charitable effort for the community, as a class.