TVHD seeking to support Warrior Food Pantry

At Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District’s (TVHD) most recent community outreach meeting, board members discussed a variety of projects and upgrades on the horizon for 2024. Since Adventist moved out of their old PT building, TVHD is planning to move their offices into the old space, which is both larger and a better layout for an office. Their official move in date is March 1.

The ongoing community garden project with Tehachapi Humanitarian Relief Group is now moving into its bed-building stage. The garden, to be decorated by rocks the Tehachapi community painted at the city’s Hometown Christmas event, will feature a section for in-ground flowers, plants and veggies available to the community for free picking and another section of raised beds to be rented out to local food-related businesses. Income from the raised beds will support garden maintenance and TVHD’s community projects.

The Warrior Food Pantry is a teacher-run pantry at Tehachapi High School. Teacher Todd Morrison noticed many students were going hungry throughout the day and student surveys indicated that hunger was a significant cause of behavioral issues at school. He decided to start up the Warrior Food Pantry, where students are able to stock up on food both before and after school, as well as during school breaks. The results have been staggeringly positive, with many now well-fed students leaving the pantry reportedly saying things such as, “I can eat this weekend, now!” TVHD is planning to support the pantry by purchasing grocery store gift cards for students in addition to a $500 check for fridges, food and any other needed supplies at the pantry’s discretion.

People interested in supporting the Warrior Pantry may drop off non-perishable donations, such as ramen noodles and soup cans, in drop bins currently located at Kelcy’s Restaurant, 110 W. Tehachapi Blvd., Coldwell Banker, 765 Tucker Rd., and The Loop newspaper, 206 S. Green St.