Community collection sites set up for Thiel College first-year students’ annual food drive

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College’s first-year students will be holding their sixth annual community food drive beginning August 6 to benefit Greenville’s Good Shepherd and Salvation Army food pantries.

The drive is scheduled to run through August 22. Since 2018, the first-year food drive has collected more than 20,675 pounds of food for local food pantries.

Several Greenville-area collection points have been established, with more planned:

• Baughman Center, 71 Columbia Avenue, Greenville, Pa.
• Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 182 Main Street, Greenville, Pa.
• Pine Hill Golf Course, 263 Leech Rd., Greenville, Pa.
• Primary Health Network, 348 Main St., Greenville, Pa.
• The Front Porch Barber Shop, 21 North Mercer Street, Greenville, Pa.
• Walmart, 45 Williamson Rd., Greenville, Pa.
• Students will approach additional businesses and religious/civic organizations to serve as drop-off sites.

“This year, the food drive will be a drop-off event with designated collection points. By setting up collection points, we reduce logistical challenges and ensure that everyone can contribute at their convenience,” said Jared Hanneman, Ph.D., associate dean for academic success. “We are hopeful this change will increase participation by making it easier for more people to donate over a longer period. We believe this new approach will not only make the food drive more efficient but also foster a greater sense of community involvement and accessibility. Our goal remains the same: to support those in need and to instill a sense of service and responsibility in our first-year students.”

Food banks have reported an average increase in demand of 65%, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and nearly 1 in 5 children in Mercer County experience food insecurity, according to FeedingAmerica.org. Rural communities make up 63% of counties in the United States and 91% of counties with the highest rates of overall food insecurity, according to data from FeedingAmerica.org.

The Good Shepherd and Salvation Army food pantries are looking for nonperishable food items such as canned foods and dry goods.

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