By Viviana Pruett-Saratan

Staff Writer

MARPLE, Pa. — One of Delaware County Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society chapters is partnering with KEYS (Keystone Education Yields Success) for an ongoing food drive to aid students affected by the recent government shutdown, which ended after President Trump signed into law a spending package on Wednesday evening.

Photography courtesy of PTK: Alpha Tau Epsilon

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Alpha Tau Epsilon chapter of PTK hosted an information table where students and community members could speak with PTK leaders, donate goods, and learn more about the food drive and its mission.

Chapter President Elif Isman said the members chose this community project because access to food is an issue in need of “ongoing immediate attention.” Vice President Shakia Gordon-Hutt added that “PTK saw a need for service.”

Gordon-Hutt said the goal is to promote the food drive while applying three of the honor society’s four hallmarks: service, leadership, and fellowship.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) had been stripped of funding from the federal government during its record-long shutdown.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services, about 472,000 Philadelphians receive SNAP benefits, with 75,000 of those people living in Delaware County. This makes up 19 percent of the state’s SNAP recipients. The program provides grocery assistance to people and families in need. With the program’s funding frozen during the shutdown, families in Delaware County faced substantial hardship.

Kara Mitsuka, the KEYS program director, saw the risk to SNAP funding during the shutdown and brought the issue to a Student Affairs meeting to initiate the food drive, with help from the Student Resource Center, Office of Athletics, and the Office of Student Engagement.

KEYS aids students who receive cash assistance or food stamps by providing them with necessary resources, from toothpaste to testing waivers. “We knew firsthand that there would be an incredibly significant need to support those students,” Mitsuka said.

An estimated 600 students at Delaware County Community College receive SNAP benefits, according to Mitsuka.

Even with the government reopening, the food drive urges students to donate, stressing the importance of KEYS’ mission. Brightly colored donation boxes sit in the Academic Building, STEM, and Technical Building lobbies, as well as the cafeteria and branch campus lobbies.

The food drive is collecting items like peanut butter, canned goods, pasta, and rice to stock the Student Resource Center. And it is not just for students who receive SNAP and KEYS support but for anyone in need of food. If people need assistance, Mitsuka says, “it doesn’t hurt to apply.”