Carroll College Students Support Helena Food Share with “Forty Days of Food” Initiative
HELENA – During this Lenten season, students from the Health Sciences department at Carroll College undertook a project titled "Forty Days of Food," an initiative that originated from the Introduction to Health Sciences course taught by Associate Professor Kelly Parsley. Aimed at tackling food insecurity, the project saw students committing to collect and donate a food item daily to Helena Food Share during the forty days of Lent.toward
Senior Erin Welter, majoring in Health Sciences, was moved by the harsh realities of local food insecurity, and was inspired to make a difference, "When we learned about food insecurity and that local kids struggle with having enough food, especially on the weekends, we decided that we could do something about that," said Welter.
First-year Shea Ostberg, studying public health, highlighted the collective effort that went into the project. Teams comprising five to six students pooled their resources to assemble boxes of food that were not only nutritious but also appealing to children. "In our group, we got canned goods and drinks,” said Ostberg. “We had items such as fruit, ravioli, and applesauce. We tried to focus on things that kids would like to eat."
The initiative proved to be an enriching experience for the participants, offering them a practical way to engage with and support their community. "It felt great having a chance to help the community," Welter added.
Culminating the project, the Carroll College students delivered their collected items to Helena Food Share’s pantry on Lewis Street last week, contributing an impressive total of 697 pounds of food. This significant donation underscores the dedication and compassion of the Carroll College community toward addressing and alleviating local food insecurities.
“I was so overwhelmed by the level of student giving, but I shouldn’t have been,” said Professor Parsley. “Carroll’s mission isn’t focused solely on a quality education; it is also focused on caring for our neighbors.”
For further information on the program contact:
Kelly Parsley
Associate Professor, Health Sciences
406-439-0072
kparsley@carroll.edu