Megan Grenier
Equinox Staff
Imagine needing to choose between having medical care, paying rent, heating your home or buying food. According to nothing.org, one in nine New Hampshire residents needs help feeding themselves and their families. The Kappa Beta Gamma sorority held the Nothing In a Can fundraiser for the New Hampshire Food Bank on April 23 and 24 in the Young Student Center. The empty “Nothing” cans are found at Shaws, Hannaford and Market Basket for $5 a can and proceeds go to the New Hampshire Food Bank. The empty can represents the reality of what many New Hampshire citizens face every day: hunger.
Kappa Beta Gamma member Kristen Guillette said that she thought that this would be a great way to raise money for the Food Bank. Guillette said that she works at Shaws and that’s where she saw the idea, “I brought up the idea to my sisters at the following business meeting, and we all agreed that it seemed like a really fun great community service idea,” Guillette said. Guillette said that they spent $10 on two cans and her goal is to raise another $50, which according to nothing.org will provide two weeks worth of meals for a family of two.
“We will also be collecting non-perishable food items, and I hope to see us get quite a bit to donate,” Guillette continued, “The idea was since the school year is winding down, students might have food that they haven’t eaten that they could donate.” This is the first time Kappa Beta Gamma has done a fundraiser for the New Hampshire Food Bank. Places in Keene, such as Hundred Nights Shelter and the Community Kitchen, hope to see more Keene State College involvement in the future when it comes to helping out the community.
“We really don’t get that many KSC students involved with our program and I would love to be able to expand,” Nicky Ramian, resource manager of Hundred Nights, said. Hundred Nights provides shelter and services to families and individuals in need in downtown Keene from January through March.
Ramian said that they occasionally get clothes donationed, but that’s about it. She suggested donating food cards from a grocery store, so Hundred Nights can go buy creamer or coffee, or to donate public transportation tickets. Ramian also suggested Staples cards, so they can fix their printers and computers that people use in order to find resources to better themselves. Regarding the homelessness in Keene, “When you come in here, there’s nothing more real,” Ramian said. Ramian said that she would love to see the community get more involved at Hundred Nights, especially Keene State College students. Another place where students can give back to the community and help people in need is at The Community Kitchen in downtown Keene. “We have a really good relationship with Keene State College. I’ve got two interns working with me at the moment and to be quite honest if it wasn’t for the community of Keene we wouldn’t be open,” Executive Director of The Community Kitchen, Phoebe Bray, said. Bray said that The Community Kitchen picks up salvaged food from supermarkets and restaurants, but the large percent of their donations come from individuals.
Although The Community Kitchen has an established relationship with KSC, Bray said that there is always more that the community can do. “I would love to explore the possibility of having more of a relationship with the [Zorn] Dining Commons,” Bray said. Bray suggested picking up the food that would normally be dumped.
The Nothing In a Can fundraiser by Kappa Beta Gamma officially ended on Wednesday, April 24, 2013. “I’d like to see us continue to do this so if anyone wants to donate more they can contact me,” Guillette said.
Megan Grenier can be contacted at
mgrenier@keene-equinox.com