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Posts tagged as “food pantry”

Free Fresh Food: Marty’s Market Produce Boxes

By editorialteam on March 14, 2025

By Wendy Joubert | Observer Contributor

Produce found in the Marty’s Market produce boxes
Photo by Wendy Joubert

Correction 3/17/25: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Brianna Desautels was a Dental Hygiene student. This has been corrected to Allied Health student.

Fresh produce is available to MWCC students at Marty’s Market on Tuesdays. The boxes are donated by Growing Places, a nonprofit based in Leominster, MA, and dropped off at Marty’s Market every Tuesday afternoon. A limited supply of boxes are available. Produce boxes are free to all MWCC students and you don’t need an account with Marty’s Market to pick one up. The produce that is available is seasonal and will change throughout the year. read more

(Archive December 2017) MWCC Food Pantry Battles Student Hunger

By editorialteam on January 28, 2025

By Iheb Klai | Assistant Editor

Photo by Thomas Hill Jr.
MWCC recently opened its new Food for Though Campus Pantry for students in need.

College and university administrators and leaders around the country are realizing that students are among the millions of Americans who experience food insecurity, or a lack of resources to obtain nutritional food. That is why the food pantry office was established at Mount Wachusett Community College, to help students struggling with issues like food insecurity and homelessness.

“We just opened it 3 weeks ago, it is a brand new initiative. We got a combination of support from the staff faculty, student and outside non-profit organization,” said Shelly Nicholson, director of the Center for Civic Learning and Community Engagement. read more

Food for Thought

By editorialteam on November 19, 2023

Investigating Food Insecurity at MWCC

By Desiree Leader | Observer Contributor

According to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, 1 out of 7 people in Massachusetts receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as food stamps. Food insecurity is a global issue, and it is no different at the Mount.

With a recent reduction in additional supplemental benefits, the local demand on food pantries is at an all-time high. According to Pam Guild, President of the Board of Directors at the Wachusett Food Pantry in Sterling, there has been a major uptick in recipients during and since the COVID-19 pandemic because “prices are going up all over for basics.” read more

Nutrition with a Mission

By editorialteam on February 2, 2020

Staff suggestions for eating well at school

By Ryan Lyesiuk
Observer Contributor

Healthy nutritional habits in a college student’s life often lead to improved overall health, according to Katherine R. Kusza, Registered Nurse at MWCC.

Photo from Unsplash

According to Kusza, a healthy diet consists of a balanced nutritional intake, including a blend of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and low-fat dairy products. Reducing your overall calorie intake by eating smaller portions and more frequent meals is important as well in maintaining a healthy diet.

Kusza provided a sample of a balanced meal from ChooseMyPlate.gov. The meal includes half a plate of fruits and vegetables, half a plate of grains and proteins, and one serving of milk. read more

The Triple Play

By editorialteam on November 14, 2019

Juggling life as a student, a parent, and an employee

By Hannah Bennett
Observer Contributor

How difficult is it to take care of yourself during college?

There’s getting up on time, getting ready, eating breakfast, and the rest of the “morning routine” before school.

Setting time for any homework or projects is also a must and isn’t always easy. On top of that, a job to support yourself takes up time, energy, and focus. Together, a job and college classes are enough to fill the day, leaving little room to take care of yourself.

So what would caring for a child do to that schedule? Being a parent is a full-time job on its own. How hard must it be to be a student, employee, and a parent all at the same time? read more