MURFREESBORO — MTSU's "Little Friends
Helping Big Friends" food drive may need a little help hauling the ton of
nonperishable food they want to deliver next Friday, Nov. 22, for the
university's Student Food Pantry.
The
children of Project Help, MTSU's early-intervention preschool, are teaming up
with supporters all over campus and Rutherford County, along with Jones Therapy
Service, to keep the food pantry's shelves stocked with supplies for hungry
students.
Last
fall the Project Help kids, ages 15 months to 5 years, collected more than
1,500 pounds of food for the then-newly established Student Food Pantry. This
year’s goal is 2,000 pounds — one ton — or more.
That
food will be quickly put to use. Between October 2012 and early November 2013,
MTSU students made 370 visits to the pantry, and the facility already is
beginning to see more requests for help as colder weather approaches along with
the holiday season.
“Our
staff has embraced the opportunity to give
back for several years,” said Susan Waldrop, director of Project Help. “The
MTSU Food Bank remains one of those places we feel blessed to have on campus
and to be able to help support.
“Our
goal of a ton of food seems appropriate coming from a place where kids are a
ton of fun,” she continued with a laugh. “Working with the Jones Therapy Group
again is great, too; they collected a lot
of food last year, plus they provide services to many of our children.”
Project
Help is providing donation boxes in several locations across campus and also is
accepting food from MTSU and the Murfreesboro community through Thursday, Nov.
21, at its main facility, located at 206 N. Baird Lane.
“Right
now we’re trying to figure out how to make a serious bragging announcement of our collected food poundage,” Waldrop
said, emphasizing their certainty of success. “All ideas about that, like the
food donations, will be gratefully accepted!”
Founded
in 1983, Project Help is a specialized inclusive preschool for young children
where little ones with developmental delays and disabilities can receive
early-intervention and family-support services while they learn and play with
those who are developing typically. Its progressive preschool serves children
from 15 months to 3 years old, and “Project Help Prep” helps 3-, 4- and
5-year-olds get ready for public school.
The
center’s staff, which trains more than 150 student participants each semester,
works with parents through family-support programs that include workshops,
one-to-one interactions and informal training seminars.
In
addition to the “Little Friends” boxes and community drop-off point, nonperishable
food donations also are being accepted weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the
MTSU Food Pantry, located in the McFarland Building. (You can find a searchable
campus map with parking notes at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap13-14.)
Donated
food items should be conveniently packaged in easy-open cans, boxes or
containers and shouldn't require cooking, except in a microwave. Suggestions
for donations include:
· canned and dried fruits or fruit
cups;
· macaroni and cheese and other
quick pasta mixes and heat-and-eat rice;
· instant drink mix;
· muffins and granola bars;
· canned or boxed juices;
· canned tuna and other ready-to-eat
meats;
· gelatin and pudding snacks;
· canned or dry beans;
· soups, chili and ravioli,
including vegetarian options;
· canned vegetables;
· nuts;
· shelf-stable milk;
· cereal; and
· peanut butter.
For
more information about Project Help, including a link to plenty of great photos
at its Facebook page, visit its website at http://www.mtsu.edu/projecthelp.
You also can visit the MTSU Student Food Pantry website at http://www.mtsu.edu/foodpantry.
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