Submitted by Gail Whitaker
Your Retirees Association has donated $200 to the WSU Friendship Food Pantry, which provides emergency food to students in need. The donation came in the form of a $200 gift card to allow the purchase of fresh foods such as milk, eggs, bread and fruit. Several times a year, people are asked to donate canned foods to The Pantry, which is located in 134 Allyn Hall.
In the fall of 2009, a group of students participating in a service-learning project discovered that a number of faculty and staff were interacting with students who were in need of food. A campus survey revealed that 48% of students polled had food insufficiency at some time while attending Wright State University.
This discovery led Cathy Sayer, director of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, to write a Host Site application to secure an AmeriCorps VISTA employee to serve as Food Pantry Coordinator from 2011 to 2012. Beginning in May of 2012, administration of the WSU Friendship Food Pantry transitioned to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Now in its fourth year, the Friendship Food Pantry comes under the direction of Simone Polk, Assistant Vice President for Student Services and is coordinated by Carine Verlin, Graduate Student in the Student Affairs in Higher Education Program. The Pantry is completely staffed by volunteers.
