As the school year comes to a close, Birdfeeder advisor Sophia Ross and other managers prepare for the summer by distributing leftover food for students.

“Unfortunately the Birdfeeder doesn’t operate in the summer. However, before the end of the school year, we offer students to take food from our pantry for the entire summer. At least they can take multiple bags of groceries home to get them through the first few weeks,” Ross said.
Birdfeeder manager Annika Eldridge says expanding the program into the summer would be difficult, but possible if students are willing to help out.

“It would be hard finding someone that would want to spend their summer dedicating it to someone else, but I think if they looked hard enough they would find someone,” Eldridge said.

According to Ross, managers are in charge of sifting through the cabinets to find food that will expire soon. Ross said they distribute them to students or other organizations so the food won’t go to waste.

“The Birdfeeder managers started going through our pantry and pulling out anything that will expire from now until September so that we can either donate the food to STEP or give them away so they won’t go to waste,” Ross said.

According to Eldridge, food donations go around Park during the year when bags are not requested by students.

“We packed bags and we did some food drives, we were in the homecoming parade and sometimes we go to Lenox to drop off food. (Also) we would go to to STEP and donate food that is about to expire,” Eldridge said. “We wanted to pack more bags because there weren’t many people requesting bags.”