Bringing Behrend’s attention to organizations beyond the plethora that we are lucky enough to have on campus. There are a vast number of groups in the area that are always both serving the needs of the community and accepting volunteers. Whether this sparks your interest for the assets you need or those you are able to provide, never forget to look further than what is readily available!

 

Organization: Second Harvest Food Bank

 

Mission: To provide food to those in need within eleven counties of northwest Pennsylvania while creating awareness and educating the communities on the realities of hunger.

 

Services: Second Harvest solicits, receives, inventories, stores and distributes millions of pounds of grocery products each year to several hundred nonprofit member agencies that directly serve people facing hard times. Recipients may receive food through food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency or temporary shelters, backpack programs, mobile food distributions, the Senior Box program, or other nonprofit organizations.

 

Involvement opportunities: Volunteers may donate food directly to the organization or through a nearby food drive, such as the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness drive on Behrend’s campus from November 9 to 15. In addition, volunteer hours are available on Monday through Saturday for a variety of events, including the grocery reclamation project, senior box project, gleaning, or other special events. With the holiday season approaching quickly, the organization will have an increased need for extra hands.

 

Location: 1507 Grimm Drive, Erie, PA 16501

 

Contact information: Call at 814-459-3663 or visit the website at www.nwpafoodbank.org

 

The Office of Civic and Community Engagement is also teeming with information regarding other organizations in the area and would be more than happy to discuss any questions you may have or help facilitate connections. Feel free to reach out to the office, located in the Smith Chapel, at 814-898-6609 or by email at psbservice@psu.edu.