Gannon University Students Support Operation Rice Bowl
Posted: April 10, 2014Every year, Gannon University's Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
sponsors Operation Rice Bowl and as part of that initiative, CRS is
hosting the Breaking-the-Fast Solidarity Panel on Wednesday April
9th, at 5 p.m. in the Yehl Ballroom, located in the Waldron Campus
Center, 124 W. Seventh St..
The panel will comprise three speakers: Dom Acharya, a community
leader, activist and new American from Bhutan, who will share his
insights about food security from the refugee camp in Nepal to U.S.
grocery stores; Sr. Phyllis Hilbert, SSJ, a neighborhood advocate,
and Wally Brown, SSJA, the housing coordinator at Sisters of St.
Joseph Neighborhood Network, who will jointly share information
about their efforts to combat poverty and hunger in Erie. They will
also discuss newer efforts like the SSJ community garden and
long-standing initiatives like the CROP Hunger Week.
Operation Rice Bowl is an international operation that helps
Catholics strengthen their Lenten practice through reflection,
fasting and giving. CRS Ambassadors organized several initiatives
that align with Operation Rice Bowl. Gannon Ambassadors promoted an Operation Rice Bowl app and collected donations for CRS; 75 percent of
donations will go to support the global effort and 25 percent goes
to local initiatives.
In addition, CRS sponsored a food fast where students donated
meals and committed to fast for breakfast and lunch. Alexandra
Mastro, one of the CRS Ambassadors at Gannon and a senior physician
assistant major, said the numbers for the food fast were excellent
this year. In turn, Metz Culinary Management, Gannon University's
foodservice provider, made donations to Operation Rice Bowl.
Mastro said she hopes that students will gain a better global
understanding about food security and what happens in their local
area. "I am hopeful that they will be more in tune with CRS and
some of the social changes we are advocating for," Mastro said.
"And want to participate in more of our programs next year and in
the future."