By Andrea Fritchey
Staff Writer
We’re all in need. The current economic situation in America has not been easy for any of us. Thousands of people have lost their jobs, leaving families without food, shelter, and the basic necessities of life. This may seem too overwhelming to grasp, but WE CAN HELP! With dozens of shelters, food pantries, and relief organizations, Scranton has one of the most comprehensive hunger and homelessness efforts in the nation. Here at Marywood, Scranton is in our backyard, and even though we don’t see it, need surrounds us. This year, Campus Ministry has adopted a theme to focus its efforts: “Think Globally, Act Locally.” Following this message, we all have the power to confront poverty—first in Scranton, and eventually around the world.
Through the efforts of Marywood’s on-campus food drives last semester, we were able to collect over 350 bags of food to donate to local food pantries. Today, demand for food has never been greater, and in the face of our economic downturn more and more families are in need every day. Our ability to collect food here at Marywood is so important! This semester we will be coordinating four food drives, and our goal is to donate 500 bags of food to local Scranton food pantries. Every little bit helps, so please consider donating to this very needy and worthy cause.
Spring Semester Food Drives:
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
You may be wondering what impact a can of food could possibly have on the thousands of impoverished in America, but the fact is that one family sharing one can of soup at a meal means one less hungry family, period. Thinking on a grander scale, the 350 bags of food that Marywood students and faculty so generously donated last semester, have provided hundreds of meals to the families of Scranton. Even in this small corner of the world, Marywood is making a huge difference! The food pantries need all of the help that they can get, and the sheer gratitude that they express for our help makes it evident that they are still suffering. Even with the resolved state budget issue, these agencies have had to undergo extreme budget cuts, forcing them to rely heavily upon donations. Here at Marywood, we are so fortunate to have the gift of an education rooted in solidarity and stewardship, and it is our duty to give back to our community and our world. In this challenging time, it is our best effort to help those who can’t help themselves. “When we started our food drives in the fall, the need was so great because of the state budget issue, but to realize how thankful the agencies were to get the food really propelled us forward. Now that the holidays are over, their need is so great again, and every can of food has a big impact right here in Scranton.” – Sr. John Michele Southwick, IHM
