The Academic Senate Committee on Committee on Food Insecurity of the Academic Senate met on Wednesday, August 30th, 2021, 1:00 - 2 P.M, Zoom

Committee Members in Attendance:

 Ashlie Klepper, Emily Tai, Nicole McClam, Amy Traver, Amawati Gonesh, Ronni Weprin, Dee Brodbar, Christopher Roblodowski, Angela Gmuca, Lorraine Cuppelli, Kathleen Alves

Business:

The meeting was called to order at 1:00 PM

 

Special Shout Outs

 

• Thank you Ronni for all the great work organizing and running the pantry pick up events held during the summer
• Thank you to President Mangino, VP Mitra, VP Di Dio and all that participated in the  two food drives held during the summer
• Thank you to all that participated in the organization of the pantry pick up events held during the summer. These food drives helped many students and proved quite successful. Hope to hold more during the Fall semester, dates to be discussed and decided on at future meeting.

 

Fall Hours

 

• This semester work on availability hours for the food pantr, track how many students are accessing the pantry, which may become an issue as more people return to campus.
• Discussion around plans that the current space will be shared with the ID card office.
• Ronnie needs some time to re-organize due to loss of space being set up for ID Office. More details to come from Dr. Mitra, Student Affairs liaison to the food pantry.
• Noted that Food pantry is a priority for President Mangino

 

• Discussion around suggestions to decorate the window area at Food Pantry access point to make it visually appealing and welcoming to students to be continued at future meetings
• It was explained that students can choose and/or bags can contain up to 10 items; encourage students to recycle bags (or bring their own bags) by offering an extra item of choice
• Discussed suggestions to include a flier or recipe cards to help students make sound nutritional choices whenever possible
• Email with fall operation hours along with preferred volunteer times will be forthcoming.
• Keys will be requested for all to access pantry
• Food is currently purchased mostly on Amazon, $ 20,000 Petrie grant as well as $20,000 NYC Council donations
• Suggestions to plan a day prior to Thanksgiving for a “day of produce” with possibly a local farm, to encourage healthful eating by incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

 

 

Pantry Protocol

 

• Have a sign in sheet
• Give entry to one student at a time to allow for privacy

 

 

Promoting the Pantry

• Additional steps needed to promote the Food Pantry with signage directing students to the facility are needed
• Place a sign on the door
• Pantry promotion on QCC website, update for Fall hours
• Place a bulletin board with information on events, food drives, etc. around campus access points
• Decorate windows to attract students and gain visibility
• Waive library fees to encourage donations
• Suggestions to include a flier or recipe cards to help students make sound nutritional choices whenever possible

 

 

 

• In the fall semester, perhaps we send out a call in the community dialogue, where we encourage professors to put an excerpt in their syllabus about the
• Another suggestion is promoting the pantry during freshman orientation as well as other beginning of the semester events including ST100 courses.

 

Looking Forward

• Invite with next meeting date will be sent
• Keys will be requested for members to gain access more readily

 

Respectfully submitted, Angela Gmuca

Respectfully submitted,

Angela Gmuca
Committee on Committee on Food Insecurity of the Academic Senate, Secretary