Washington College students (Washington College Students in Free Enterprise, aka WC SIFE) are launching the biggest food drive in Kent County’s history. The goal is to donate 5,000 cans (about 5,000 pounds) of food, in a program called Let’s Can Hunger. All of the food will be donated to Kent County’s Community Food Pantry. Jim Fouss, chairman of the Food Pantry, said, “Washington College students are making a tremendous contribution to help struggling Kent County families. Increases in gasoline and utility costs have really strained families and the number of persons that we service continues to increase. We really appreciate the work that the students and SIFE are doing.”
The food drive will involve students, the faculty and local businesses. Each Washington College class has a goal to collect 500 cans of food by early April. The 18 academic departments will be challenged to collect 1,000 cans of food. Professor Susan Vowels, the advisor for WC SIFE, said, “I am very pleased with the students’ enthusiasm and their interest in supporting people in Kent County. The food drive is just one of several projects that WC SIFE is conducting to benefit people in Kent County.” An important part of the Let’s Can Hunger campaign, sponsored by SIFE donor Campbell Soup, is to spread awareness of the growing number of people facing food insecurity on a regular basis.
Christian Tateo, a Washington College sophomore, is the project leader for the food drive. He said, “We will place goal thermometers at Hodson Hall so that everyone at Washington College will know how each class and the faculty are doing. We will be delivering food to the Food Pantry each week and Food Pantry will weigh the food and tell me how we are doing. The Let’s Can Hunger program also will involve the Chestertown business community.”
For more information on the Let’s Can Hunger food drive and how to help the Washington College students reach their goal, email Christian Tateo at [email protected].
tom martin says
Bookplate is willing to help Let’s Can Hunger achieve its’ goal in whatever way possible. Give Tom or Becky a call at 410-778-4167. We have a number of annual events approaching which successfully draw a cross-section of town residents and college students. Let’s try to work together to achieve your goal of helping members of our community in need. We commend your initiative and want to help. Let’s talk!! Thanks.