Armed with grant money, students in Dr. Mark Graham’s Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic World class set out in April 2009 to determine the most deserving recipients of $1,000. After learning about the rise of philanthropy during the Hellenistic era, the students’ task was to put their theoretical knowledge about philanthropy into practice.

At the same time, the food pantry housed in Grace United Methodist Church had a vision. The volunteers at the pantry dreamed of teaching their clients about nutrition and life skills. The classes, covering topics ranging from nutrition and cooking to budgeting, interviewing and literacy, would help people looking to improve the quality of their lives.

After listening to a representative from the pantry, Graham’s students donated $2,000 to the pantry in addition to awarding $1,000 each to George Junior Republic and to City Rescue Mission in Newcastle. Today, the pantry has taught three classes and will soon hold the next session about early childhood development. Food pantry coordinator Renee Coyne hopes to obtain more grant money from United Way so that these programs can continue, even though their current series of 12 classes is not yet halfway through.

Coyne recognizes that these programs will not change a family’s life over night. Her hope, however, is that these educational services will provide clients with chances and opportunities in the future.

The food pantry serves all types of people. Some visit the pantry for only a few months between jobs, whereas other people are clients for many years.

Grove City College students participate extensively in the food pantry’s mission. Each week students from Helping Hands and others from the honorary Mortar Board carry groceries to the cars of elderly and disabled clients. Students taking childhood development classes will help teach the pantry’s next educational program.

Some students help unload the truck that delivers goods to the food pantry every Thursday morning. Still more students help check the expiration dates and pack away all of the food received during food drives.

The work of the food pantry could not continue without volunteers. Besides loading, unloading and sorting, volunteers pack over 1,400 bags of groceries each month. Coyne has no doubt that the time given to the clients of the pantry is time well spent. “It’s a good experience to care for them and serve them,” she said.

Grove City’s food pantry exists as a nonprofit organization unaffiliated with its home of Grace United Methodist Church. The pantry opened in 1981 and ever since has served to provide nutritious food and other necessities to underprivileged residents of the Grove City school district.

Five years ago the pantry served 95 families; last month, 530 families picked up supplies. Coyne said that the clientele increased by at least 15 percent after the stock market downturn in Oct. 2008.

The pantry receives donations from grocery stores, businesses and food drives. It also purchases discounted food from the Food Warehouse in Farrell. Instead of buying cheap, unhealthy food, the pantry tries to provide fresh produce, wheat bread and other healthy choices. Each month it provides families with different recipes to offer new ideas on food preparation. It is the pantry’s goal to not only provide for these families but also to guide them in making good decisions.

On the first Monday of every month, the pantry distributes a big order of food meant to last four to five days. Each bag includes $50 to $75 worth of produce, bread, peanut butter and other groceries. Clients also receive household items such as dish soap and laundry detergent.

On the other Mondays of the month, the pantry distributes bags meant to last one to two days. These bags include frozen extras from the Grove City hospital or small items that restaurants may donate.

With over 1,340 individuals benefitting from the food pantry’s services, the donation of the grant money proved that Graham’s students genuinely understood philanthropy. The educational services will benefit the pantry’s clients for the rest of their lives. As the Chinese proverb says, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

- Emily Cramer '11 

(published Dec. 11, 2009, The Collegian)