TURNERS FALLS — What started as a simple way to provide food and snacks for those competing in after-school activities at Turners Falls High School has evolved into a way of giving back to the community.

Athletic Director Adam Graves, School Resource Officer Dan Miner and paraprofessional Amber Richardson started off by bringing crackers and snacks for those who might be staying after school to prepare for a play or a sporting event, giving them something to keep hunger at bay.

Noticing the impact it had, they decided to expand the program. Graves, Miner, Richardson and the Turners Falls Athletic Leadership Council and Helping Hands — a group of student-athletes elected by their peers — began raising money to provide for those in need at Turners Falls High School, whether that be through meals, a new pair of sneakers for sports, a new backpack or whatever a student might not be able to provide for themselves. The program is all done discreetly to not single out any one student who may be in need.

The fund received a hefty boost on Monday, when the Montague Elks Lodge made a $2,500 donation to help provide for the community.

“This goes toward food for our families,” Miner said. “This goes toward if we notice someone only has one pair of sneakers. It’s nonjudgmental and secretive. The superintendent doesn’t know, the principal doesn’t know, the vice principal doesn’t know which students are receiving stuff. We’ve gotten many compliments from families about how respectful it is. They’re appreciative of it and how discreet it is. That’s something we pride ourselves on.

“Every single dollar we raise stays within these four walls,” Miner added. “That’s very important to us.”

Montague Elks Lodge members Judy Dacyczyn and Steve Dacyczyn presented the Athletic Leadership Council with the check on Monday, with Judy Dacyczyn noting how important it is to give back to the school she once attended.

“It’s very important to be able to present this to the school I graduated from,” she said. “I remember back when I attended seeing kids who really needed a program like this but there wasn’t a program like this available to them. It’s great for kids to have a resource like this.”

Students on the council — Owen LaValley, Ian Bastarache, Joey Mosca, Madi Liimtainen, Alex Quezada, Ella Guidaboni, Jackson Cogswell, Kainen Stevens, Addi Talbot, Rob Goff, Ella Kolodziej and Anne Kolodziej — said they were thankful for the donation, as it gives them the financial resources to do more to help within the school community.

“For us, this is what keeps us going,” LaValley said. “We use this money to buy the food, the baskets and whatever else they might need to provide for the families.”

Cogswell noted that being part of the Athletic Leadership Council allows him and other student-athletes to give back.

“It’s great that we can provide for people in our community who have less than what we have,” Cogswell said. “The great donation we got is awesome.”

Being one of the student-athletes selected for the council gives them a chance to showcase their leadership off the field or court and within the school, from going around to donate meals during Thanksgiving to providing warm meals for students during the winter break.

Liimatainen said the thing she likes most about it is how anonymous it is, providing assistance with discretion.

“I like how it doesn’t single people out,” Liimatainen said. “It’s very disguised in ways so nobody knows who it’s going to. We can’t go up to somebody and know that this is going toward them. It makes everyone a community and makes everyone come together as one as opposed to singling people out.”