A group of 17 students embark on the University’s first Stay Break to help local nonprofits address prevalent community issues

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Students Embark on Stay Break to Help Address Food Needs in RI Communities

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Roger Williams UniversityDOCS@RWUFeatured News Story The Week at Roger3-7-2016Students Embark on Stay Break to Help AddressFood Needs in RI CommunitiesPublic Affairs, Roger Williams UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_newsPart of the Higher Education CommonsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The Week at Roger at DOCS@RWU. It has been accepted for inclusion in FeaturedNews Story by an authorized administrator of DOCS@RWU. For more information, please contact mwu@rwu.edu.Recommended CitationPublic Affairs, Roger Williams University, "Students Embark on Stay Break to Help Address Food Needs in RI Communities" (2016).Featured News Story. 627.https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_news/627 News ArchiveStudents Embark on Stay Break to Help AddressFood Needs in RI CommunitiesA group of 17 students embark on the University’s  rst Stay Break to help localnonpro ts  address prevalent community issue  RWU students prepare meals at the Mathewson Street Church inProvidence. Image Credit: RWUMarch 7, 2016 Public A airs Sta BRISTOL, R.I. – This week, more than 130 Roger Williams University students, from undergraduate tograduate to law, are participating in Alternative Spring Break trips, where groups of students – o en ledby faculty and sta  advisors – work in teams to lead volunteer projects aimed at improving communitiesor assisting nonpro t organizations.One group of students will embark on the University’s  rst Stay Break – a new program that mirrors theimmersive, week-long service learning experience of alternative spring break trips abroad but allowsstudents to stay on campus and serve nonpro ts in nearby communities. The group, which includes 17students, will lead volunteer projects focused on meeting food needs in Rhode Island communities bypartnering with the Rhode Island Food Bank, East Bay Community Action Program, Sharing the HarvestCommunity Farm and Mathewson Street Church.Students will also work alongside leaders of the Bristol Health Equity Zone (HEZ) – a program fundedby the grant/cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and HealthResources and Services Administration (HRSA), and facilitated through the Rhode Island Department ofHealth to improve the mental health, well being and quality of life for Bristol residents with a focus onhealth – to evaluate Bristol food retailers and restaurants on the types of food items available to localresidents, in addition to the placement, promotion and pricing of healthy alternatives. The students’initial assessment will support the Health Equity Zone’s mission to improve access to healthy food forBristol residents.Bristol Health Equity Zone Project Manager Craig Pereira believes the RWU students’ involvement inthe food-mapping project adds value to the program. “It’s great that we can get the RWU studentsinvolved and visible in the stores and in the community with business owners. Having the voice of theyounger generation has been helpful to us in making us think about things that we may not havethought of and their insight is an interesting and thoughtful perspective.”Following their volunteer work, students will have the opportunity to share their  ndings andexperience with Rhode Island State Legislators to discuss how public policy may help addresscontemporary issues related to food needs in Rhode Island.Roger Williams University sophomore Meagan Hackey has volunteered in herhometown of South Kingstown, R.I. for a number of years and looks forwardto continuing her community involvement work on the Stay Break.“I volunteer at my local church to help with a community dinner they provideeach week to families that can’t always a ord to put dinner on the table. I’veseen how much food assistance programs can mean to people in need,” saysHackey. “I’m really excited about participating in the Stay Break and gettinginvolved in larger initiatives related to meeting food needs like the food-mapping project and working with food pantries in the area.”RWU Professor and Director of the University Honors Program Becky Spritzbelieves the assortment of majors represented in the Stay Break program –including education, marketing, biology, architecture, historic preservationand psychology, among others – o ers a valuable contribution to addressinglocal community needs.   “There are a number of community engagement experiences on campus that are connected to speci cmajors or programs like public health or engineering, yet we know that so many of the needs thatcommunities face are multidisciplinary issues,” says Spritz. “These are problems that are best tackled byputting minds together from di erent areas. We’re doing that by bringing together students fromdi erent programs and that’s really exciting.”The Stay Break program is an academic, credit-bearing experience that ful lls the communityengagement requirement for students in the honors program. In addition to their service work,students will lead independent research and create a local public service announcement addressingissues related to food needs in Rhode Island. 

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Students Embark on Stay Break to Help Address Food Needs in RI Communities

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