Amy Garno

Spectra Staff Writer

It’s for the “Saint”ly Food Drive, where the Siena Heights University (SHU) community collects non-perishable food  and personal hygiene items for The Daily Bread. The Daily Bread is a soup kitchen and pantry in Lenawee County and the surrounding area that helps the hungry and homeless.

The food drive is organized by Dr. Jeff Lindstrom’s social psychology class as part of the social learning process.  Lindstrom notes that he loves working with the people at the Daily Bread because, “This is real hunger, and real people, with real lives.”  The entire SHU community is encouraged help to serve the local residents that are in need.  Drop off boxes for the food drive with be located in every building on campus from Monday Nov. 26 through Friday Nov. 30.

For this year’s food drive The Daily Bread is asking for items that will help stretch a family’s food budget such as: Hamburger Helper, boxed mashed potatoes, rice, and peanut butter and jelly. All other food donations are welcome since they will feel the hungry people.

In addition, she has asked for toilet paper, personal hygiene items (soap, shampoo, deodorant, shaving cream, etc.), feminine hygiene items and disposable diapers (all except newborn).

The Daily Bread has been serving the local community for the past eleven years.  It’s located on the corner of Tecumseh and Frank street in Adrian.  Rhonda Clark and Ken Freshcorn are two of the key people at the Daily Bread; Clark is the executive director and Freshcorn is the coordinator for the pantry. “I like to make the people feel comfortable here.  This is not easy for them to come in here to get help.

Many of them are middle class people just like us who lost their jobs,” Freshcorn said.  The patrons are able to get a free hot meal every day, except Monday and Wednesday, between 11am and 2 pm, and a box of food for each member of their family for three days a week.  If they are homeless, there is a shower upstairs and a washer and dryer for them to do their laundry.  They must present an ID for each family member, a social security card, and a birth certificate to receive food from the pantry.  Whether a person is unemployed, underemployed, or totally homeless, the services are there to help

Hunger is a big concern in Lenawee County and in Adrian, Mich.  In the past few years there has been an increase in the need for food because of the economic downturn, which caused many locals to be without a job or only part time work. Others residents, such as single mothers with children and the physically and mentally disabled also struggle to meet basic needs and are helped through nonprofits such as The Daily Bread.

The food drive is not the only project Lindstrom’s students are helping with. All social psychology students also are required to serve lunch at The Daily Bread.  “Many of the students are apprehensive at first because they are not sure what to expect. This gives the students firsthand experience at seeing hunger and homelessness in their area and a chance to make a difference,” Lindstrom said.  Jess Rinehart, a SHU senior, who was in Lindstrom’s social psychology class last year and served at the Daily Bread, noted, “The entire dining room was full of people that were being served.  People were even lined up at the door before lunch.  I was surprised to see that many people that were in need of food here in Adrian.”