The new council implemented a food drive Dec. 3 for Hoosier Hills Food Bank as part of its first initiative.
The SPEA council is accepting donations from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. today on the main floor of the SPEA atrium.
“Our tagline is ‘lead for the greater good,’” said Director of Undergraduate Programming Jennifer Forney. “This council is comprised of 31 undergrads who have committed to do just that.”
The undergraduate council will be working alongside faculty members to come up with ideas and engage the SPEA community. The group’s mission is to inform and serve the community, according to SPEA.
Right now, the group is working to provide protein donations to Hoosier Hills.
“We need peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, and Hamburger Helper the most right now,” said Jake Bruner, Hoosier Hills Director of Development.
Forney said the food drive had a slow start until last week.
“A faculty member stepped forward and said Hoosier Hills was also collecting books right now, and if there’s anything we have a lot of laying around, it’s books,” Forney said. “This week we were able to add that facet. Now the energy is there, and the donations are up.”
Although this is the first Leaders for the Greater Good food drive, there is a long history between SPEA and Hoosier Hills, Bruner said.
“We have a pretty special relationship with SPEA in particular,” Bruner said. “We have fellow SPEA interns and a SPEA VISTA summer program that connects us with students.”
Hoosier Hills Food Bank is a non-profit organization in Bloomington that provides pounds of food to other non-profit agencies in six Indiana counties.
SPEA offers students a number of degrees that focus on addressing complex issues in society.
“SPEA has always been committed to service,” Forney said. “We are excited as a school to see our students demonstrating leadership, and we welcome everyone to join our effort.”
