By Delaney Runge
Copy Editor
Following a lapse, the Hunger and Homelessness Committee of the Student Government Association had their first meeting of the semester on Thursday Nov. 16.
The departure of Stephanie Gilmore from the College this summer prompted the brief break, but Director of Student Engagement Antoine Jordan ’12 is now acting as the chair for the committee.
“The [Hunger and Homelessness Committee] was born out of the creation of George’s Free Store in the Goose Nest in Hodson Hall Commons,” Jordan said. “The Free Store serves an important purpose: providing food, hygiene products, and other goods to students and members of the Washington College community who might be in need.”
George’s Free General Store is open to use by anyone in the campus community, with the caveat of “Take what you need and give when you can” according to the WC website.
Beyond the free store, the Hunger and Homelessness Committee works to support students in other ways as well.
According to Committee Co-Chair sophomore Brooke Thomas, the committee is important since it “[acts] as a way for students to seek the resources they need without having to worry about judgement or shame.”
The Hunger and Homelessness Committee works to do this through committee and community initiatives.
“Through educational programming that teaches members of our community how to support those who struggle in unseen ways, along with providing items and products for students who might be unable to be able to regularly afford them, the Committee works to provide those
resources along with breaking down the stigma that comes with seeking or asking for help,” Jordan said.
At their first meeting of the semester, the committee discussed issues like food waste and programs they want to champion as the fall semester.
According to the Hunger and Homelessness Committee meeting minutes, one of the programs that they want to focus on are improvements to George’s Free General store such as a potential renovation to the space “to become more functional.”
Another goal for the free store is to hire a student worker.
“That student will help keep the store stocked and supplied, make sure it’s a clean and welcoming space, and also help promote the Store on social media,” Jordan said.
An additional initiative that the committee wants to implement, especially for the end of this semester, is the annual Meal Swipe Drive.
According to the meeting minutes, “Students in the past have been able to donate their own meal swipes and then a student in need of a meal swipe could use those swipes that are stored by dining services.”
The committee is hoping to enact this soon, so students should be on the lookout for more information coming soon according to Jordan.
A new project that the committee is hoping to work on is a collaboration with a company called Aunt Flow to install dispensers for feminine products in bathrooms in residence halls and other buildings on campus.
According to Jordan, sanitary and hygiene products are some of the most requested at the free store, so this initiative would work to make these products more accessible across campus.
“There are members of our community who have to stretch to make their Washington College experience affordable, and the Hunger and Homelessness Committee hopes to find ways
to take those burdens off of our students so they can focus more on enjoying their studies and college experience,” Jordan said.