In an effort to combat area food insecurity, Montgomery County Community College and students from the North Penn High School are working together to host a free food distribution event that’s open to students and community members.

MCCC’s Wellness Center and its Hospitality Institute, along with Sharing Excess North Penn chapter, will hold the event on Blue Bell Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, Morris Road Lot D, Tuesday, April 9 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. (or until food runs out.) Students and community members will be able to select from an assortment of fresh produce on campus.

The rain or shine event is free and open to the public, but registration is strongly recommended to ensure food capacity. Attendees must bring their own bags or containers to the event.

Sharing Excess is a Philadelphia-based, national non-profit organization that facilitates the distribution of free produce donated by retailers, wholesalers, and farmers, to local food banks and community organizations, reducing food waste and increasing food access, according to its website.

Sharing Excess North Penn is a local branch of Sharing Excess. North Penn High School senior Derek Schneider founded the club last year.

“Sharing Excess is working to eliminate the stigma around free food and food distributions,” said Nourhan Ibrahim, Development Director, Sharing Excess Inc. “We want to make everyone feel like they are part of the solution to food waste rather than a problem, and there is no barrier to entry to receive food at our pop-ups. Anyone and everyone is welcome, no questions asked! Our incredible chapters, like North Penn, help us spread this mission all across the region.”

The event at MCCC will promote the consumption of healthy foods and sustainable practices. Students can visit the campus quad, while community members can join the event in the Morris Road Parking Lot D.

The event will also be accepting donations for MCCC’s Stock up for Success food pantries located at its Pottstown and Blue Bell campuses. Items needed include shelf stable food and personal care items. 

“Sustainability is really a huge focus of this event,” said Dr. Nichole Kang, Director of MCCC’s Wellness Center, who is organizing the event with Jennifer Fanega, Food Sustainability Fellow in the Hospitality Institute, and Derek Schneider, Founder and President of Sharing Excess North Penn.

For students and community members, there aren’t many places to shop for fresh produce this time of year outside of a grocery store, Kang said. The food distribution event provides greater access to healthy foods.

The event will also feature a demonstration from students in the culinary program on how to incorporate produce into nutritious dishes.

Fanega helped launch the Food Recovery Program at MCCC, which involves cooking fresh meals for the Stock up for Success Food Pantry on Blue Bell Campus using excess foods from the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry programs. She said the food distribution event is another way MCCC is helping address regional food insecurity.

“From a food insecurity aspect, having access to fresh food can be a real challenge for people,” she said. “SNAP benefits have been cut back, but food costs have gone up. It can be difficult for people to have healthy food. This event is a way to give access to people but also to do it in a way that has dignity and takes away the shame of having to ask for help. It’s open to everyone.”

“Anyone can attend, you don’t have to prove a need,” she continued. “It’s a way for our students to come together to help the community.”

The food distribution event is part of a long-ranging effort to address food insecurity and promote wellness on MCCC’s campuses.

Recently, MCCC was named a PA Hunger-Free Campus by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In December 2022, the College celebrated the opening of the Wellness Center at Pottstown Campus in North Hall, which includes a food pantry.

In January, the Pottstown Rotary Club partnered with the Blue Bell Rotary Club to secure a Rotary District 7430 grant in the amount of $4,000 to provide hygiene items to the new Wellness Center at Pottstown Campus.

The College also collaborates with Gwynedd Mercy University, Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, Manna on Main Street, and other county partners in a College Student Basic Needs Program (CSBNP) to help students with food, housing, and other necessities. In March 2022, CSBNP received funding through a Home4Good grant, through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, which directly benefits MCCC students who are struggling with housing insecurity.

To learn more about the many supportive services MCCC provides to students, visit the resources webpage or contact the Wellness Center.