A Gwinnett County high school is getting new technology to make sure its low-income students get the food they need.

Berkmar High has operated its food pantry called a Care Closet since last October, but now it will be easier to track how much food is taken and what needs to be replenished.

Joe Hessling of 365 Retail Markets is donating his company’s technology that will allow the school to scan items taken by students while a second application, donated by Randy Smith of Lightspeed Automation, will keep a running total of what needs to be replenished.

“We actually can tract what’s being taken, what are the most popular items, (and) what are things that are staples that we should carry from health and beauty aids to certain food-type products,” Smith tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish.

Based on the information, word will go out to community food banks and other organizations what donations are needed.

Senior Lauren Seroyer, who founded the first Care Closet at Peachtree Ridge High School two years ago, helped launch the one at Berkmar last year. She’s thrilled with the new technology that she hopes will carry over to the 11 schools in Gwinnett and five other states that have them.

“It will allow our whole entire process to run so much smoother and it will allow us to better collect data,” she says.

Seroyer is also excited by the fact that special needs students at Berkmar will learn the technology and help run the Care Closet.

“It’s just a way for everyone to get involved,” she says.