On Friday Feb. 10, Missouri Western State University students gathered at Second Harvest Community Food Bank downtown in St. Joseph.

 

The 13 students were led by Executive Director of the MWSU Center for Service, Kim Sigrist.  Administrative Assistant Angie Osborn helped in supervising the students within their volunteering.

 

Completing 30 hours of physical work involved the Griffons bagging sweet potatoes for distribution by Second Harvest’s Mobile Food Pantries.

 

Supplying families in need and covering over 12 counties is Missouri and Kansas, the food bank is a member of the non-profit organization Feeding America.

 

Director Sigrist provided insight to the Griffon News, explaining her center’s ethics.  “The community partners are always in need of volunteers, by encouraging every student to take that first step creates positive students through applied learning in the community.”

 

The MWSU students and supervising staff of the Center for Service were assisted by the University’s Presidential Cabinet Chief of Staff, Chris Dunn.

 

Missouri State Senator, Rusty Black, joined the Griffons Friday at Second Harvest.  Senator Black resides in Chillicothe and serves on the Missouri Statewide Food Security Task Force.

 

Within the last two semesters at MWSU, over 1,700 student volunteer hours were registered through the Center for Service. This Griffon volunteering work provided over $52,000 to the Missouri economy.

 

Jacob Ridens was one of the Griffons fighting hunger in the community at Second Harvest.

 

Ridens is a freshman and the Director of Campus Activities for the MWSU Student Government Association. He has helped at Second Harvest for several years.

 

Ridens reflected upon MWSU and the volunteering opportunities provided by the Center for Service.

 

Ridens said, “Volunteering is soul-rewarding.”  He recommends students be aware of the community impact they can make, and also the free college credit hours that can be applied to graduation.

 

Andrew Foster, Volunteer Coordinator for Second Harvest Community Food Bank of St. Joseph, expressed his gratitude to the long-standing relationship with MWSU.

 

Foster provided a formal, “Thank you” to MWSU students and faculty for their service.

 

Foster discussed the importance of providing positive change to the community as well as the application of student experience gained from volunteering, building service into the ethos of life, home, business and community.

 

Students looking for opportunities to volunteer can go to The MWSU Center for Service, located in Eder Hall Room 202.

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