Key partnerships forged with various offices and organizations on campus, a $1,000 social justice seed grant, and the continued stream contributions of students, faculty, staff and business partners have resulted in hundreds of students being served at Food Bank 4 U since its humble opening in September 2014.
Behind all of it remains the commitment of Jane Doherty,’84, staff associate in the Department of Chemical Sciences, who saw BSU students struggle with hunger and food insecurity. Her daughter, Julia, is also playing a role, working with “Feed the Future,” which provides the call to action behind Food Bank 4 U, which celebrated its first anniversary this fall.
Both mother and daughter greeted dozens of campus well-wishers and donors during a celebration of the food bank’s successful first year. The event was in the atrium of the Rondileau Campus Center, just down the hall and around the corner from the quiet space that offers students facing hunger a semi-private spot in Room 012 to select food off shelves that are filled with care by a small group of dedicated volunteers.
“There are so many students here in need,” said volunteer Erin McCarthy of Littleton, a senior majoring in biology. “I was looking to help out a local food bank and I got a flyer about Food Bank 4 U at the Student Involvement Fair, so I’m helping here this year. We need to spread the word to get people involved to help those who are in need.”
In its first year in operation, Food Bank 4 U was accessed 800 times from September through June. From July through October, it has been accessed more than 300 times. And as word about its operation has spread, so has interest – from donors to those who need the service.
Dropping by with bags of donations in hand during the recent celebration was a group from Santander Bank, which also returned to campus before Thanksgiving with food for students to take home for the holiday – all collected by 129 team members at its 15 branches in the region.
“We feel part of it,” said Heather Nelson, district manager at Santander. “We are so honored to be of help,” adding that Florida Vieira, manager of the Bridgewater branch around the corner from the campus, is running a drive throughout the cold-weather months.
Shana Murrell, director of Alumni Relations, discussed the effort of the BSU Foundation to collect cash donations for the food bank for Giving Tuesday – the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which falls on Dec. 1 this year.
“We have a whole Website that is set up to donate and it is ongoing,” Ms. Murrell said. To make a donation, visit www.alumni.bridgew.edu/foodbank.
Janet Cartwright, Unit 1 Chief Steward, represented AFSCME Union Local 1067 at the event. “I cried when I heard Jane talk about our students who go hungry,” she said. As a result, AFSCME “always participates” in ongoing food collection efforts on campus.
Food at the celebration was provided by Sodexo, the campus’s food service vendor, which also organizes drives for the food bank, often in collaboration with the Student Government Association, Ms. Doherty said.
A full year and two months later, Food Bank 4 U remains a pilot program and a satellite of the Catholic Center.
Ms. Doherty’s goal is for the food bank to become a sustainable, student-run organization that’s officially housed within the university’s superstructure. “It needs to become institutional,” she said. A necessary part of ensuring this is her conversations at the cabinet level.
“We have awesome students!” Ms. Doherty declared. “They really appreciate everything we’ve done. We’re hoping that with awareness and our celebration, that we will double the amount of food in the bank.”
Donations of non-perishables in greatest demand at the food bank are: granola bars, canned chicken, Spam, black beans, cereal, oatmeal, beef stew, canned meat products, meat-based soups, canned salmon, rice, microwaveable meals in a bowl, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and almond milk.
Collection bins are located in Boyden Hall (faculty/staff lounge and basement by vending machines), East Campus Commons (outside bookstore), Maxwell Library (entrances), Moakley Center (atrium) and the Pride Center in the RCC. Food can be dropped off at the bank in RCC 012.
Food Bank 4 U is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 11 p.m. (Story and photos by Eva T. Gaffney, G '01)
