GardenShare team helps out at Campus Kitchens

Yesterday afternoon and evening, volunteers from GardenShare helped out at Campus Kitchens.  This SLU student run project provides a free meal to area residents every Monday evening at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Canton.

While student run, Campus Kitchens is committed to being there every Monday, so that people who might need that assistance can count on it.  That means that, when the students are on break, community volunteers are needed to fill in the gap.

Thanks to Brianna and Carol who helped cook the meal - a chicken and broccoli casserole - and to Mark and Carlene who set up the tables and chairs at the church.  And thanks to Pat, who joined me at the church to serve the food and clean up afterwards.  All of these jobs would usually have more volunteers involved, so the team that came out worked hard!

It was hot and we were tired, but thirty or so people went home after a healthy and hearty meal, so it was worth all of that hard work!

Campus Kitchens volunteers

Last night, a crew of friends of GardenShare volunteered to help cook, serve, and clean up for the weekly meal served by St. Lawrence University's Campus Kitchens program.

Kate and Margaret Harloe help load the
van with supplies to transport to the church.

 While this program is operated by students, they are committed to serving every Monday evening, so community volunteers are needed at times when the students are on break, like now for the winter break.

Campus Kitchens started at St. Lawrence in 2010 when one of its students applied for a grant as a Senior project. It has since become a vitally important service that community members-at-large depend on for shared meals and fellowship.

Through this project St. Lawrence students and community volunteers turn food that would otherwise be wasted from campus dining halls and local farms into delicious, nutritionally balanced, three-course meals.  The meals, prepared at St. Lawrence and served at the Canton Unitarian Church, are open to anyone free of charge.   It takes many volunteers to procure food, and prepare and serve these meals. If you'd like to help, please contact SLU Volunteer Services at 229-5135.

GardenShare recently received a grant from the State of New York to increase the number of volunteers engaged in fighting hunger in the North Country.  Last night's efforts was one of our first attempts.  Thank you to these friends who volunteered to help last night:  Mark Berninghausen; Gwen Cunninghan; Margaret, Bart, Ben, and Kate Harloe; Anneke Larrance; Gloria McAdam; Carol and Tom Pynchon; Carol Strome; Jennifer Whittaker; and Theresa Witmer.