The DEN
The DEN
The Devils’ Essentials Nook
The DEN isn’t just for students who are in need, but any student with a need.
In August 2025, the Sharpsville Area School District was proud to roll out a new district wide initiative, the Devils’ Essentials Nook also known as The DEN. In collaboration with Mercer County Food Bank, we wanted to make sure every student has their needs met so they can focus their energy towards school. Though The DEN looks different at the elementary school versus the high school and middle school, items such as snacks and other food, personal care items, and clothing will be available. The DEN isn’t just for students who are in need, but any student with a need. Whether you forgot to pack a snack to eat before practice, or you might not have anything at home for dinner. It’s not just for when your toothbrush bristles are on their last leg, but when you’re running late in the morning and forgot to brush your teeth. It’s adding another clean shirt to your wardrobe rotation, or the fact that you spilled paint on the shirt you were wearing. It’s knowing you’re starting to sweat and you need deodorant, but it’s also knowing that body wash isn’t always enough to keep you odor free. It’s these things and a million more examples that keep our students’ minds anywhere but their studies. We want every student to have access to any necessity, at any point throughout the school day, without fear of judgement.
The DEN Features
The "DEN"
The DEN is home to all the resources that students need in a pinch, like forgetting to put on deodorant, but also in planning for later, like when you don't have anything at home for dinner. The DEN is stocked with personal care items, grab and go food items, food items that need to be prepared, clothes, shoes, and school supplies. At the high school and middle school, it's a shared location. Our students have the opportunity to access The DEN throughout the school day. On days where after school programming happens, snacks are available. At the elementary school, the same items are available, but are accessed by our staff on behalf of their students. Snacks are provided to students who attend the READ after school program.
Blue Devil Bags
For our elementary families, we offer the Blue Devil Bag. The Blue Devil Bag is a bag containing meal items that will go home with your student every Friday at dismissal. It will be discreetly added to their backpack. This bag is meant to assist a family get through a couple meals, or help supplement meals you’ve already planned. In order for students to receive a bag weekly, families can register at any time during the year.
Holiday Helper
Holiday Helper baskets go out to our families to help supplement their Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter meals.
To Help:
The Holiday Helper basket is a beautiful way to share what you have with a family of the Sharpsville Area School District that may need a little help. By picking up a basket with a list inside, take the list with you when you go grocery shopping, and purchase those items. Instructions on how and when to return everything are already in the basket for you.
To Receive:
We know that while the holiday season can be magical and memorable, it can also be a time where anxiety is amplified due to finances. The cost of new outerwear since your kids have grown since last year, the expense of larger holiday meals, and higher than normal heating and electric bills can pile up on an already tight budget. The DEN wants to help alleviate some of that burden with our Holiday Helper baskets. The Holiday Helper is a basket that will supplement a holiday meal at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas. Baskets will need to be picked up on the scheduled dates and times in November and December. Families need to register to receive this additional resource.
Donations
Donations can always be made using the link below or checks can be made out to:
Community Foundation of W PA & E OH and mailed to 7 West State Street, Suite 301 Sharon, PA 16146, with The DEN on the memo line.
Contact
For any questions about The DEN, donations, or hosting a drive, contact The DEN Coordinator, Lauren Belin, at lbelin@sasdpride.org or call 724-962-8300 ext. 2000.