Walking to Fill the Pantry 

From left, volunteers Ruth Smith and Sister Betty look over the fresh produce as they refill shelves at St. Vincent's Food Pantry. (Photo by Mark Schmidt)  The pantry served 5,000 households in 2016.

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 5, 2017) – The UAlbany chapter of United University Professions (UUP) recently presented St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry with $2,000 raised at its spring 5k Walk to Fight Campus Hunger.

The April 30 walk attracted 57 donors from across the campus and in the community. For every dollar raised, St. Vincent’s purchases $4 worth of food from the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY. Including the funds raised at the walk, UUP has raised more than $3,000 for the food pantry this past academic year.

The walk helped to raise awareness about the nationwide problem of food insecurity on college campuses.
St. Vincent’s Food Pantry, 984 Madison Ave., Albany, serves the Albany community, including UAlbany students who live on campus (including the apartments at Empire Commons and Freedom Quad) or those who live in the Pine Hills and Eagle Hill neighborhoods.

“I’m thrilled that UUP Albany sponsored this Walk to Fight Campus Hunger,” said outgoing chapter President Bret Benjamin, who led efforts to partner with the University to support the pantry.

Angela Warner, director of the food pantry, said that St. Vincent’s Food Pantry served 5,000 households in 2016.

The walk was organized by the UUP Food Pantry Committee, chaired by Greta Petry. Members include: Bill Pyszczymuka, Alison Olin, Laura Wilder, Lisset Drislane, Kori Graves, Jordan Carleo-Evangelist, Lisa Clarke and Melissa Palmucci.

In addition to the committee, staff members volunteering at the event included: Tom Hoey, Eric Torgerson, Annette Richie, Patrick Romain, Deana Myers, Deb LaFond, and chapter assistant Kelly LaPerle.

The walk was a sponsored Chapter Action Project of statewide UUP, and was supported by assistance from or in-kind donations from:

• Sodexo, especially Steven O’Riley, general manager, and Jude Jerome, executive chef
• Stone Industries
• Sheri Stevens, director of the School of Social Welfare’s Community and Public Service Program, and her team of student volunteers
• Linda Kryzkowski, assistant vice provost for student engagement
• Luke Rumsey of Neighborhood Life
• Naomi McPeters and her crew of student volunteers from the Community Service Living Learning Community
• Professors Hazel Prelow and Julia Hormes

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