30 Days of Giving 2017 – Day 21: Increasing Food Security at Dutchess CC

A male staff member stands in front of a shelf full of food products in the Dutchess Community College food pantry.

We’ve seen a statewide effort to help end food insecurity for college students come to light this year. This fall, Dutchess Community College transformed a vending machine room into a campus community food pantry that operates solely by donations and volunteer work from faculty, staff and students. The pantry offers high-quality food and personal hygiene products to anyone in DCC’s campus community with a need.

So far, the pantry has served over 30 people by providing emergency three-day supplies of food and hygiene products. A holiday meal drive is underway that aims to provide families a traditional holiday feast including turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and apple pie.

The pantry also has been able to furnish internships for students in DCC’s Human Services Program, as well as service learning opportunities in other courses. Anybody interested in more information about the pantry should contact Dr. Jordan Dawdy at thepantry@sunydutchess.edu.

The Dutchess CC family has surely made the holiday special for those who need help in their community.

30 Days of Giving 2017:

Written by Sarah Petrak

Sarah Petrak is a student assistant with the Office of Communications and New Media for SUNY System Administration. She is a studying Public Policy at the University at Albany.

December 13, 2017