Tarrant Area Food Bank West (TAFB West) and Weatherford ISD celebrated the grand opening of the Seguin Market, a new Ready to Learn® in-school market at Seguin Elementary, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, February 20. The market is designed to support students and families with consistent access to fresh, nutritious food in a trusted and familiar school setting.
This initiative was made possible through the generous contributions of Tarrant Area Food Bank’s donors, whose support continues to drive the success of the Ready to Learn® initiative. Furnished with coolers, shelving, and stocked with fresh produce, shelf-stable goods, and kid-friendly food items, the Seguin Market offers a dignified, convenient, and essential resource for families within the school community.
The event marked the latest milestone in TAFB’s Ready to Learn® expands access to nutritious food and youth-focused nutrition education across the region. By bringing food directly into schools, the initiative helps ensure students have what they need to thrive, beginning with the most important school supply: food. Ready to Learn® also provides critical support to families experiencing food insecurity.
TAFB launched Ready to Learn® in 2021 to address the needs of the 1 in 4 children facing hunger across its 13-county service area. By expanding access to nutritious food and offering youth nutrition education and resources, the initiative ensures school-aged children are prepared to succeed in the classroom and beyond. The new Market at Seguin Elementary reflects TAFB’s commitment to building healthier, hunger-free communities.
“Food is foundational to learning,” said Julie Butner, President & CEO of Tarrant Area Food Bank. “We’re proud to partner with Weatherford ISD to ensure that students at Seguin Elementary have access to nutritious food right on campus. When students are nourished, they’re better equipped to learn and succeed.”
“We are honored to partner with Tarrant Area Food Bank West to open the Seguin Market,” said Dr. Beau Rees, Superintendent at Weatherford ISD. “This partnership allows us to support our students by addressing one of the most essential needs—nutrition.”
TAFB West, which serves Parker, Palo Pinto, Hood, Erath, Bosque, Somervell, and Hamilton Counties, is committed to expanding food access and improving health across its region. The Seguin Market joins a growing network of over 100 Ready to Learn® school markets supported by TAFB and its community partners.
“This market is an investment in our children, our schools, and our community,” said Butner. “We are grateful to Weatherford ISD for their partnership and to our generous private donors for making this work possible.”
To learn more about Ready to Learn® or to support hunger relief efforts across TAFB’s service area, visit tafb.org.