Three Local Universities Partner to Benefit Second Harvest
Some 200 students representing 36 student organizations at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, plan to participate in a joint food drive with Mercyhurst College and Gannon University to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank. This is the first joint food drive among the three colleges.
On Saturday, Oct. 28, students will fan out across the community in an intensive, one-day campaign, going door-to-door collecting nonperishable food items between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. In addition, Penn State Behrend will man a drop-off station at Junker Center during those hours.
“Penn State Behrend has had a longstanding relationship with Second Harvest and has held food drives to benefit the organization for years,” Kelly Shrout, coordinator of community service and Smith Chapel, said. “However, partnering with Mercyhurst and Gannon takes this year's efforts to the next level.”
Penn State Behrend’s student organizations will be responsible for parts of Erie east of McClelland Avenue, Wesleyville, Lawrence Park, and parts of Harborcreek. Some opted to forgo their existing food drives to participate in this year’s joint effort—notably Alpha Phi Omega’s “Trick or Treating for Canned Goods.” In addition to Alpha Phi Omega, service-oriented Reality Check plans to participate, along with Penn State Behrend’s honors and academic, social and Greek, and student government organizations.
Penn State Behrend donated 1,821 pounds to Second Harvest last year. Currently the college holds Second Harvest’s main 2006 Bread Box Award, which is an actual bread box that rotates annually, for its numerous fund-raisers and food collections.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers 31 baccalaureate, six associate, four pre-professional and two graduate degree programs with 21 minors to 4,000 students. Focused on providing a student-centered environment, Penn State Behrend is the link that connects its students to a major research and land-grant institution on a campus enriched by more than 90 clubs and organizations, 21 NCAA varsity teams, 19 intramural sports and modern facilities. For more information, visit www.pserie.psu.edu.