CVS Funds Woonsocket High School Food Pantry, now open for students, families

Woonsocket High School food pantry adds support for students and families by CVS efforts

A new food pantry at Woonsocket High School is expected to serve more than two dozen families each month, providing groceries on campus through a partnership involving CVS Health, FeedRI and the Rhode Island Department of Education.

The pantry, funded by CVS Health, opened August 27. State education officials say there are plans to expand the program to additional schools across Woonsocket.

The effort comes in a city where thousands of children receive food assistance. According to the 2026 Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook, 3,868 Woonsocket children under age 18 received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in October 2025. That was the third-highest municipal total in Rhode Island, behind Providence and Pawtucket. Statewide, 41,555 children received SNAP benefits that month.

School-based pantries provide another source of food for families, making groceries available in a location students and parents already know.

“Food access is an important part of helping children and families succeed,” said Rhonda Lapham, executive director of FeedRI. “By bringing nutritious food directly into schools, we are making it easier for Rhode Island families to access the resources they need while creating a stronger support system around students.”

Representatives from CVS Health, RIDE and FeedRI joined students, educators and community members to celebrate the opening near CVS Health’s corporate headquarters.

“Today’s food pantry opening demonstrates what’s possible when the state, community organizations and corporate partners come together to support students and families,” said Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “Through these collaborations, we can remove barriers for families and create stronger opportunities for students to learn, grow and thrive.”

The Woonsocket pantry follows similar openings at Nathan Bishop Middle School and Roger Williams Middle School in Providence in May 2026.

“Every student deserves the opportunity to come to school ready to learn, and access to nutritious food is an important part of that equation,” said Faith Weiner, executive director of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at CVS Health. “CVS Health is proud to support the opening of this new food pantry at Woonsocket High School and help create healthier communities across Rhode Island.”

CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation has also provided funding to nonprofit organizations focused on food insecurity solutions, including No Kid Hungry, Meals on Wheels of New Jersey, Harlem Grown, Windy City Harvest, Central California Food Bank and other community-based organizations working to support healthier outcomes through nutritious meal programs, prescription food boxes, urban agriculture, and community gardening efforts that increase access to fresh, healthy foods.