This winter, Park added a potluck club to its growing list of extracurriculars. The potluck club meets every other week to enjoy food and spend time with each other, while planning their next community service project.
Club advisor and French teacher Jenny Puzzo said she hopes kids discover varying service options and learn how to volunteer at a younger age. She said volunteering with peers is an amazing experience for students to have.
“The goal (of this new club) is that the kids learn about all the different community volunteer opportunities that exist, and perhaps become engaged in volunteering in their community,” Puzzo said. “It’s great for kids to learn how to volunteer with other kids their age. It’s something that I do outside of school quite a bit, and I think starting at a young age is a fantastic way to do it.”
Sophomore co-founder Tess Culp said she and her co-founders wanted to create a community where students could enjoy food together and help out their community. She said they got the idea to form the potluck club when SNAP benefits were cut, and they realized how much food insecurity there really is.
“Me and two other people (came up with the idea to form the club when) we were all talking about how we loved food,” Culp said. “We wanted to create a space where people could have food together, and we wanted to help our community. When we formed the club, there was a lot of food insecurity going on, and there still is, but that was right when SNAP benefits got cut, and it opened our eyes to see how many people need help.”
According to Puzzo, food can be a gateway to building new connections and friendships. She said food and activities can make it easier for students to hold open discussions.
“‘Why food? Because kids are always hungry, and anytime you give a kid food, they’re more willing to talk,” Puzzo said. “When you’re trying to build community, having things to do with your hands oftentimes makes it easier for people to open up about real things.”
Sophomore Clara Bormann said she and her co-founders chose to create the club as a community bonding experience and as a way to raise visibility for people struggling with food insecurities.
“We formed this club because I wanted an opportunity for students to bond in a community with others, and be able to promote awareness for food insecurity in our area,” Bormann said.
According to Culp, the potluck club is helpful for students in the Park community because they are going to provide service. She said in the future, they plan on visiting food shelters and going to elementary schools to educate students there.
“We’re beneficial because of the community service aspect, and I feel we (provide) something for people to look forward to,” Culp said. “People like to come and eat their food. We’re also benefiting the community because of all the community service. (For example), we’ll go around to food shelters. We’re planning on going to some elementary schools and talking to them.”
Bormann said she hopes to aid people struggling with food insecurity and meet other students at Park.
“My goals for this club are to help those in our community struggling with food insecurity by providing food and resources to those who need it, and get to know others in our school,” Bormann said.
The potluck club meets every other Thursday from 3:20 to 4:15 in room B230.
