Boxes were piling up across campus last week, not with textbooks or dorm supplies, but with canned goods. The SIU Raymond D. Wiley chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America led a food drive aimed at filling shelves for students. Canned goods were collected around campus to donate to the Saluki Food Pantry, which helps SIU students with food insecurity.
PRSSA is an organization on campus for students who are planning to enter public relations careers. This program is directly affiliated with PRSSA, the national professional organization for PR professionals. Members said they want to focus on community-related services.
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“As students on campus, we have an obligation to give back to the community that provides us resources to be here in the first place,” PRSSA Event Coordinator Addison Bean said.
The canned food drive was just the start of community service for students in PRSSA.
“We did implement community service strategies into our plan this year for our RSO,” Bean said. “We felt called to do the food drive because when I was speaking to the representative from the Saluki Food Pantry, she let me know that at the beginning of the semester there is a great need for donations … But, I am for one satisfied with the amount of donations that we got.”
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PRSSA collected over 60 different canned goods for the Saluki Food Pantry. The Saluki Food Pantry is a nonperishable food cabinet located in SIU’s Student Center. Their goal is to help students with food insecurities.
Members of PRSSA said they wanted to help students directly on campus, because that is who supports them. Several boxes were spread around campus, in places like the communications building, financial aid office, student services offices, admissions, the Multicultural Resource Center and Morris Library.
“(Community service) makes me feel like I am actually contributing to something important,” PRSSA President Makenzie Gaines said. “Hosting professional events is fine, but I do think it is really, really important to give back to needs that aren’t talked about every day. Unfortunately, if you are hungry, you probably can’t think correctly. You cannot function and I do not think that is talked about enough. There are students that really need these items to help them function throughout the day.”
Bean and Gaines explained that food drives are especially beneficial in southern Illinois because the surrounding communities are food desert areas. PRSSA members believe it represents their pillar of advocacy to help the community they are in.
“The only thing separating us and students who are struggling with food insecurities is the situations that we were born into and the systems we are born into. I think it is very important to lift each other up, and that makes me feel like I’m doing something bigger.” Bean stated.
Gaines said this food drive was just the beginning of community service for PRSSA. Gaines expressed that she would like to do several more community service projects including a coat drive and a hygiene drive. Gaines feels as if by helping people when they need it most, they offer the community dignity and respect.
Students currently struggling with food insecurity can turn to the Saluki Food Pantry, which is available on campus to provide support. With the ongoing government shutdown, programs such as SNAP and WIC may be affected. Those experiencing food insecurity are encouraged to contact the Saluki Food Pantry for assistance at (618) 536-3351.
Staff reporter Mariah Fletcher can be reached at [email protected].
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