LEWISBURG, Pa. — As Bucknell University in Lewisburg prepares to close for the Thanksgiving holiday, students in the Management 101 class realize they have a lot to be thankful for. Each semester, the class divides into "companies" to raise money for a local nonprofit.
"We make a product. We have a fundraising event. We also do service projects for them," junior Mia Rothstein explained.
Mia Rothstein and Whitney Romweber are part of a group that focuses on food insecurity. They teamed up with the nonprofit Footprints, a food pantry in Montgomery.
"They're obviously working to try and aid food insecurity, but they're also working to try and reduce the stigma as well," said sophomore Whitney Romweber.
The group of about two dozen students started volunteering at Footprints.
"You can go in, sign up, and get what you need. It's a great place, and the community is super welcoming and open for everyone," Rothstein said.
The students volunteered at Footprints and also raised about $5,000 for the food pantry by selling hats and candy. They also built a bench for outside the facility, put up signs, and started a backpack program.
"School isn't just about learning. You can make a community-wide impact," Rothstein said.
The project for the class is over, but some of the students say their volunteering is just getting started.
"I have every intention of going back and helping them out more. I really formed a real connection with the people there, and it feels amazing," Romweber added.
The students hope their contributions will leave footprints on the food pantry for years to come.