RACINE- Exciting news for the Southern Local School District! Thanks to a heartfelt grant, the school’s food pantry has received a significant upgrade, poised to make a real difference in the lives of students.
In April, the Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center, based in Chauncey, secured over $8,000 from the Joe Burrow Foundation, alongside the Ohio University’s Economics of Altruism Foundation.
This impressive achievement underscores the power of community support and collaboration. Students from Ohio University's Economics of Altruism course played a pivotal role, evaluating various projects to determine where to direct their support. Under the guidance of Dr. Julia Paxton, a dedicated professor and the Undergraduate Director of Economics, the class focused on effective philanthropy and the essential grant-making process, leading them to select three deserving organizations to uplift, including Southern Local School District.
The grant awards ceremony in April was made even more special with the presence of Robin and Jimmy Burrow, proud parents of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who joined in celebrating this initiative.
With the grant funding, the Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center has acquired crucial resources—carts, shelving, plastic bags, and reusable bags—all designed to streamline operations and better serve students in need across the seven districts in their care.
Southern Elementary Principal, Mrs. Tricia McNickle, couldn’t contain her excitement when the delivery arrived.
“We are incredibly humbled and grateful for the pantry supplies,” she beamed. “Once they were delivered, we quickly assembled everything and were able to start using them right away. Together, we can address food insecurity and ensure every child has what they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.”
Southern Local School District Superintendent Tony Deem echoed Mrs. McNickle’s thankfulness for the grant and praised the AMESC for its hard work and compassion for the students in need.
“This grant is a fantastic win for our kids! It’s like giving our students a superhero toolkit—everything they need to conquer challenges and chase their dreams! We’re beyond excited to see how these resources will spark positive change and inspire our young leaders to rise and shine!”
Expressing her gratitude, AMESC Superintendent Lindy Douglas emphasized the transformational impact of this grant.
“It’s inspiring to witness such dedication to education,” she noted. “We’re eager to see the positive changes this grant will foster in our schools. This investment not only showcases a commitment to our future leaders but highlights the importance of coming together to meet the needs of our students and educators.”
SLSD extended a warm thank you to the AMESC, the Joe Burrow Foundation, the Economics of Altruism Foundation, Ohio University, and everyone involved in securing the grant.
Special recognition went to Beth Lanning, the Southern High School Career Coach, whose hard work in writing the grant and coordinating the delivery of pantry items did not go unnoticed. Additionally, McNickle would like to thank Amy Robinson, Director at Project RISE, for her help in loading the big boxes that were delivered to SLSD.