BATON ROUGE — A new food pantry opened Thursday morning at Capitol High School, giving students and families a new resource to help fight hunger and stay focused on learning.

The Lion’s Den Food Pantry is the second of its kind in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. School leaders say it was created to address a growing need among students who come to class worried about where their next meal will come from.

“Children should not come to school hungry and worried about what they’re going to eat from day to day,” said Principal Eric Greely.

The pantry was developed through a partnership between Capitol High and Baton Rouge General, with support from the Joe Burrow Foundation, the Charles Lamar Family Foundation, the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, and the LSU AgCenter.

Inside the pantry, shelves are stocked with food, freezers are filled, and boxes are prepared for students and families to take home.

Edgardo Tenreiro, CEO of Baton Rouge General, said the idea came directly from school leaders who were seeing hunger affect students daily.

“The principal told us kids are coming to school hungry. Why don’t we start a food pantry? And that’s what this is all about,” Tenreiro said.

Organizers say the need is significant, with about one in seven people in Louisiana struggling to access healthy food. They stress the pantry is not just about providing meals, but also about restoring dignity to families.

Tenreiro said hunger can have a major impact on education.

“That makes it very difficult for the kids to focus on the things that they have to do while they’re in school,” he said.

With food prices continuing to rise, leaders say more families are struggling quietly and often hesitate to ask for help.

Ariane Dent with the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank said many parents try to manage on their own.

“They’re not gonna tell you they’re hungry. They’re just gonna figure their way out,” Dent said. “And to have this resource, you don’t have to figure it out.”

Both students and staff will help operate the pantry each day. Organizers say their goal is simple: make sure families leave with a full box and one less worry.

“It’s so important that not only students are fed, but parents are fed as well,” Dent said.

The Lion’s Den Food Pantry will offer monthly food distributions for families. School leaders hope to expand the program in the coming months to reach even more students across the community.