This morning, I worked on formulating my dinner menu for the week. Due to living in Williams Hall, I’m lucky enough to have a full kitchen, unlike most of my friends, who live in Alumni, Carlin, and Loyola. I usually share a screenshot of my Notes app menu to the lucky members of my private story, and people will pick nights to come over and enjoy a home cooked meal and a catch up.Â
As I debated whether or not to enjoy savory mac and cheese on Tuesday vs. Wednesday, I began to think about food as a resource in the Worcester community.Â
As many may have heard, as a result of the government shutdown, EBT/SNAP program benefits have been frozen/delayed in their release. It has had a particularly intense impact for Worcester families, a quarter of whom utilize these benefits.Â
The impacts of the benefits freeze was all too clear to me as I did my weekly grocery shopping at the Worcester Walmart. A store that is usually very busy was mobbed beyond anything I had ever seen before. I heard one employee remark to another that it was because the EBT benefits had hit late for this week, as a result of the shutdown. Thus, everyone had to wait to do their grocery shopping until the day after benefits came through.
As I perused the aisles for the ingredients to fill out my menu, I reflected on just how lucky I am. I have never once known the feeling of worrying about where my next meal will come from, or having to agonize over whether or not I can afford the brand name version of a product. I was able to pick a nice brand of chicken for my famous butter chicken I am making, and didn’t have to worry about the cost.Â
At the risk of making overgeneralizations, most students at Holy Cross are similarly lucky. Food is viewed as a resource, yes, but almost an expendable one: endless and easily replenished. I can’t count how many times I have seen Crusaders pay full price for an unlimited meal plan, and barely use it. I have seen neglected or forgotten Doordash bags all around campus.Â
For the hardworking individuals and families in Worcester who rely on EBT/SNAP benefits, food is an unstable resource that can be taken away at the mercy of the government. Before I continue-as I imagine you readers saying get to the freaking point-notice my word choice of “hardworking” here. Why does a person have to be considered gainfully employed or “hardworking” to deserve food, a human right?
Clearly, this is an issue I’ve given a lot of thought. And I am not innocent in the Crusader food waste issue-my biggest fault is when grocery shopping, I usually end up buying too much of an ingredient. Unless I have friends over for dinner, those extra portions often end up discarded. After hearing of the EBT/SNAP freeze, I started researching ways to help those impacted in the Worcester area.Â
That’s when I came across WooFridges, a program with several “community fridge” locations across the city. Neighbors and residents can donate and stock the fridges with fresh produce, groceries, and home cooked meals, as well as take as much as they need from the fridge. There’s no payment, no forms-just grab and go, or drop and go. The idea behind WooFridges is that as a community, we can pool resources to uplift one another and ensure we all have everything we need. I fell in love with this concept, and just my luck, there is a WooFridge location right on Southbridge Street!Â
Last week, with an extra portion of lemon pepper chicken and pesto pasta in hand, I hopped in my car and made the two minute drive to the fridge, located in the parking lot of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. I easily placed my tupperware in the fridge, and as I hopped back in my car, got situated, buckled my seatbelt, I looked up. There was an older woman, suitcase in tow, walking down the sidewalk to the fridge. She tentatively opened the door, and pulled out the to-go container, reading the sticky note I had left on it with a smiley face. She nodded and headed about her night, lemon pepper chicken and pasta in hand.Â
I sat there in my car for a second, humbled. This wasn’t just a “nice thought” or a way to get rid of my leftovers. My actions, that small extra portion set aside, were ensuring someone had dinner that night. I was seeing the impact literally right in front of my eyes.
We are not just Holy Cross students-we are members of the Worcester community. As members of this community, we have a responsibility to support one another.Â
I would encourage other Crusaders who are able to help support WooFridges-you can follow them on Instagram @woofridge. I’ll end with a motto included in one of their posts that stuck with me: “when we come together, we remember: we have everything we need to meet each others’ needs”.