DENVER — Navigating school can be a daunting experience for many students, but at the Denver Center for 21st Century Learning (DC-21), social workers are committed to providing support to students in more ways than one.
Tiffany Barrios, one of the school’s social workers, started helping students and families who were experiencing food insecurity by setting up a food bank last year.
The food bank, which also has a small amount of clothing available, is open every Tuesday after school. During the rest of the week, the food bank is available to students who express a need.
“In order for any students to be able to have the brain strength to access academics, they need to feel as regulated as possible,” said Barrios. “That those basic needs are met, as well, so they don't have to worry about those things while they're here.”
Every Tuesday, Barrios drives to The Village, a nonprofit in Denver, and brings back boxes of food to be delivered to the DC-21 community. Those boxes contain fruits, vegetables, and a form of protein. The other non-perishable items that fill up the shelves at the school’s food bank are donated by the nonprofit Food for Thought in partnership with Food Bank of the Rockies.
Antonia Garza, the other social worker at DC-21, often delivers food boxes directly to families’ homes. She told Denver7 she is grateful to give back to the community in which she grew up.
“I myself was a Denver Public Schools student. I went to North High School, graduated, and have been in the city my whole life,” said Garza. “I really wanted to be there to support students like myself that have experienced some barriers in education.”
The food bank would likely not be possible if DC-21 did not employ two social workers. The duo equally tackles cases so they can give students the individual attention that they deserve while also focusing on projects like this one.
“We have really worked to transform the stigma around mental health and accessing resources here,” said Garza. “We have broken a lot of those barriers down, but I still want to offer additional supports where students might not necessarily get them.”
DC-21 is a multiple pathway middle and high school within Denver Public Schools. It offers college-level courses, individualized support, and several services for their students, like an on-campus laundry facility.
Barrios and Garza believe that when students are well-fed and cared for, they can better focus on their schoolwork and what comes after graduation.
“I just think it's really powerful when a community comes together to support one another,” said Barrios.
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