Last semester, the pandemic pushed colleges and universities across the country to implement new regulations that would keep their campus communities safe, but these regulations often left Food Recovery Network (FRN) chapters unable to recover surplus food on campus. 

What goes into starting a chapter where you live?

At Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), in-person gatherings were prohibited, making it impossible for our student chapter to organize food recoveries on campus. However, when the WPI chapter realized they couldn’t activate, as usual, they identified new ways, beyond food recovery, to help their partner agency, Friendly House.

The Chapter leadership team set a goal to accomplish 2-3 service projects every eight weeks with Friendly House. Throughout the fall, they coordinated donation drop-offs, including non-perishable foods, masks, and holiday gifts, and they also created children’s goodie bags and care packages for the homeless. 

We spoke with Hannah Schulz, Chapter President, about WPI’s efforts during the pandemic to maintain their partnership with Friendly House. When asked what advice she would offer to students who want to start a new chapter, Schulz replied, “Be ready to adapt and don’t let quarantine and pandemic life bog down your perception of what your chapter can do...Look at all of the options and opportunities in front of you and make the most of it.”

We are inspired by chapter leaders and volunteers like Hannah who continually demonstrate there is no limit to the work we can do to activate in support of our communities. Check out the full interview with Hannah to learn more about WPI Chapter’s work this past fall, and to hear about her vision for a just and equitable food system. 

What goes into starting a chapter where you live?

When asked to describe what a just and equitable food system looks like, Schulz replied, “A just and equitable food system means eliminating the fear of not knowing where your next meal is coming from for everyone, independent of your identity and where you are in life. The key to that is forming these connections and partnerships where we can deliver food and eliminate food insecurity.”