The college’s Circle K International chapter has arranged a connection with a local grocery store that may keep the campus food pantry shelves well-stocked.
Circle K advisor Sherry Best said the student-run service organization has been reaching out to local food chains in the hopes of receiving donations. They hit upon a sympathetic ear with East Greenbush Hannaford manager Kim Hanson. Best said Hanson has agreed to donate non-perishable food to the college food pantry on an ongoing basis.
On Friday, April 19, Best’s husband, Jim, delivered 12 cases of food from Hannaford to the Campus Center’s Student Activities office – everything from breakfast cereal and canned soup to turkey stock and stuffing mix. “We are so happy to see this. It really means a lot to the students that we can help them out,” Student Activities Program Assistant Susan Smith said.
“It’s an ongoing need and it’s great to have this kind of commitment from one store,” Best said.
The Student Activities office is always looking to re-stock the campus food pantry, which provides basic food supplies to students who are often dealing with jobs and child care responsibilities on top of their school work. A competition among departments and college offices is held each year that awards a “Giving Cup” to the one who donates the most food to pantry. Last year, ten departments collected 6,054 items for the food pantry.
The connection with Hannaford may provide a healthy boost to the food pantry’s coffers but the need is ongoing and the Student Activities office continues to encourage donations from faculty and staff members across the campus.
Circle K International is a service organization formed to help the community through various service projects. It is part of an umbrella of organizations led by Kiwanis International. For more information about the Circle K chapter at Hudson Valley, contact Best at s.best@hvcc.edu.
Published: Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:59:17 +0000 by e.bryant