Help local students thrive: peek inside a local pantry’s mission + how to get involved

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What helps a student feel ready to learn? Sometimes, it’s as simple as having clean socks, a toothbrush or a winter coat. That’s where the Junior League of Birmingham’s Essentials Pantry comes in, providing everyday necessities to students in need across the Greater Birmingham Area.

Read on to see how this initiative is meeting real needs, meet three people making it all happen and learn how you can get involved.

The JLB’s Essentials Pantry serves a growing need

Donations from local communities are key to the success of the Essentials Pantry. (Junior League of Birmingham)

The JLB’s Essentials Pantries are more than just shelves stocked with everyday necessities: They are lifelines for hundreds of students and families in the Birmingham area. 

These pantries are located in five local schools—Glen Oaks, CJ Donald, Robinson and Tuggle Elementary Schools and Fairfield High School— and each provide toiletries, school supplies and clothing to students who need them most. 

The initiative got its start as a simple toiletries project and quickly grew into something much bigger.

After seeing students struggle to access essentials like toothpaste, clean clothes and even backpacks, the JLB stepped in to help fill the gap.

Each month, JLB volunteers work with school counselors and staff to find out which items are needed. Then, they set to work restocking the pantries and coordinating deliveries. 

“My typical week with the pantry includes checking in with schools about requests, organizing supply hauls and making sure pantries are stocked and ready. It’s hands-on work that makes a real difference.”

Quiwintre Frye, Essentials Pantry Committee Volunteer, JLB

When urgency strikes, JLB’s Essentials Pantry is there

The Essentials Pantry includes vital items like clothes and shoes. (Junior League of Birmingham)

Something I especially love about the JLB’s Essentials Pantry is that they respond to urgent needs that may arise. It can be as simple as providing a child with a winter coat when they arrive at school on a frigid day without one, or something much more dire that impacts students beyond the classroom.

Emily Herring Bryan, Mental Health Coordinator for Fairfield City Schools, sees their importance firsthand every day:

“There have been many times when a student’s need is met in the moment. But I’ll never forget the support we received after an apartment fire last year. JLB volunteers showed up immediately with new clothing, hygiene products and full-size essentials for multiple families. It was incredible.”

Emily Herring Bryan, Mental Health Coordinator, Fairfield City Schools

The pantry’s ability to meet urgent needs like this is one of its most prominent strengths, especially in underserved communities.

The heart behind the JLB’s Essentials Pantry

For many JLB members, the Essentials Pantry’s mission hits close to home. 

Leslie-Ann Williams, Chair of the Essentials Pantry Committee, has been with the JLB for nine years. She was inspired by her mother, a former educator who often bought supplies for her students. 

“I wanted to be part of an organization that didn’t just talk about change, but actively created it. Joining JLB was a no-brainer.”

Leslie-Ann Williams, Chair, JLB Essentials Pantry Committee

Now, in her role as Chair of the Essentials Pantry Committee, she’s helping lead the charge into a new League year to boost the pantry’s impact even more.

What’s next for the JLB’s Essentials Pantry + how you can help

Want to support this amazing work? Mark your calendar for two big upcoming initiatives:

• Supplies for Success (Fall 2025)
  • The goal: Fill 200 backpacks with essential school supplies for students returning to class.
• Pack the Pantry (Winter 2025)
  • The goal: Collect coats, gloves and scarves to help stock Essentials Pantries for winter. 

Everyone in the Birmingham area—businesses, civic groups and individuals—is invited to participate in both events. Check out the JLB’s Facebook and Instagram for more details.

For questions about the Essentials Pantry, contact essentialspantry@jlbonline.com.

Discover how the JLB’s Essentials Pantry is making a difference—and see how you can, too. Visit their website and join today.

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