Meramec Service Works Club Nets Big Donations through Food Drive

The Service Works Club at St. Louis Community College-Meramec organized a successful food drive for the campus Student Assistance program (SAP). More than 1,500 cans and food items were collected for the Brown Bag Café, the SAP’s food pantry.

Cans were donated and collected by teams who then created a can sculpture at the end of the drive. These creations were judged by the campus Sculpture Club.

The five competing groups included a handful of service-learning classes taught by Maxine Beach, Richard Peraud and Pam Garvey, a joint effort from Sky Club and Cru, and staff in the student affairs office.

Sky Club and Cru’s sculpture, titled “Tin Titans,” won first place and an ice cream party. The sculpture is a nebula-inspired shape, complete with glitter on top.

“The drive brought our clubs together and helped us bond as we collected the cans, knowing it was going toward the Brown Bag Café and the ones who need it more than we do,” said Ashley Feicht, an active member of both clubs.

The teamwork and shared common goal of supporting Meramec students made the drive successful and engaging.

“Instead of counting cans, we focused the drive on the creativity and teamwork of the sculpture contest,” said Debbie Corson, coordinator of service learning and civic engagement. “The groups wanted to raise awareness and work toward a solution for a problem many of our students face.”

Not only did the drive help stock the shelves of the Brown Bag Café, but it also brought light to the serious issue of hunger and poverty in the St. Louis area. While addressing these problems may seem daunting, Meramec students, faculty and staff faced the problem head on with generous donations and hard work.

The Service Works Club has partnered with several other community organizations to create an impact and lasting connections through volunteering. Students volunteer their time and energy while gaining meaningful experiences and leadership skills.

The Meramec SAP seeks to enhance academic success by alleviating barriers and supporting students in meeting their basic needs.

For more information about the Service Works Club, contact Corson at dcorson2@stlcc.edu. To learn more about the Brown Bag Café, contact bbcmeramec@stlcc.edu.