Penn College's Office of Student Engagement was excited to partner with YWCA Northcentral Pennsylvania this holiday season, hosting a campus kitchen drive. Kitchen items tend to represent one of the largest gaps of donated items, due to the more-than-frequent use of kitchen spaces and the food insecurity often experienced by those staying within the YWCA's programs.On any given day, the YWCA shelters up to 40 adults and 15 to 30 children. Between its two shelter programs, the YWCA operates six communal kitchens. Clients use each space heavily and are constantly in need of things from dish towels to pots and pans. Having well-stocked kitchens makes living there more like a home for clients and provides a sense of pride in their surroundings.
"The beauty of a kitchen drive like this is that it will continue to bless the women and children for many months following the holidays," OSE director Allison A. Grove said in announcing the campuswide collection. "The YWCA also loves to spoil their clients with stocked pantries, complete with staples and items we all take for granted. This project encompassed all areas of need."A heartfelt "Thank you" to the faculty, staff and student organizations who generously donated kitchen and pantry items!
Photos by Shannon L. Skaluba, student organization specialist