SUNY Broome Toastmasters Club and donors teamed up to raise nearly $1,400 for the SUNY Broome Student Food Pantry
Inspired by being given gifts of pizza for the SUNY Broome Toastmasters Club speech contests, the club decided to pay it forward and began raising funds to support their food-insecure fellow students. The Speakers of the House, the SUNY Broome Toastmasters Club, has stayed active via Zoom since March 2020. Students, faculty and staff, and community members have participated, along with guest speakers who have visited from the Midwest and from Mexico. Students enrolled in Effective Speaking classes have visited the club to expand their skills and sometimes to make up missed classes.
At the end of each semester, the club has always hosted a traditional Speech Contest and Pizza Party…in 2020, it did so with a twist. Domino’s Pizza generously delivered complimentary pizzas to participants just as the contests were about to begin. Participants outside our local Domino’s delivery area purchased their own pizzas and were reimbursed by Student Activities. Prizes were underwritten by Student Activities and the Office of the College President.
During Fall 2020, the club decided to pay this generosity forward. Working with Student Activities, the FSA and the BCC Foundation, and with the help of two anonymous matching donors, the club raised nearly $1,400 for the SUNY Broome Student Food Pantry, which is managed by the SUNY Broome Student Assembly.
Food insecurity has long affected college students, in particular community college students. According to Inside Higher Ed, in a Fall 2020 survey, “Nearly one-third of students said they have experienced food insecurity since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and …Thirty-two percent of students surveyed reported they had been laid off due to the pandemic.”
To donate to the SUNY Broome Food Pantry, please go to SUNY Broome Donate Now where individuals can make tax-deductible credit card donations. Add a comment that the gift is for the SUNY Broome Food Pantry.
If you are a student in need of assistance from our Food Pantry, please contact Danielle Tierno, Student Assembly advisor at tiernodb@sunybroome.edu.
If you are interested in improving your public speaking skills in a fun and supportive environment, visit our Toastmasters Club. We meet most Fridays at 3:00 pm. Reach out to Kathleen McKenna at mckennakm@sunybroome.edu to ask for the Zoom link.
Submitted by: Kathleen McKenna on behalf of the Speakers of the House Toastmasters Club
