Community / March 1, 2011

Smith Undergrad Helps Feed Homeless

It was while writing a paper for his freshman English 101 class that Evan Ponchick, a College Park Scholars Business, Society, and the Economy alumnus, came up with an initiative that would help feed the homeless and save the university money. Now a junior, Ponchick has watched his vision turn into a reality.

Working along with the charity So Others Might Eat (SOME), Ponchick and members of his service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, have been able to donate more than 1,500 meals to the homeless in the D.C. area. Every Friday, the group visits the South Campus Dining Hall and collects leftovers that will not be reused. The volunteers package the food, store it in the backseat of one of their cars, and deliver the meals to SOME.

“It’s a win-win situation,” said Ponchick. “The university is saving money because they are becoming aware of what (food) they can reuse. For the food they can’t reuse, we are donating it to a good cause and feeding hungry people.”

Ponchick launched the project in the Fall 2010 semester, and is already looking to expand the program to more than one night a week. He also hopes that by next year, he can expand the initiative to all of the dining halls on campus.

As part of the BSE College Park Scholars program, Program Director Dr. Mark Wellman introduced Ponchick and fellow students to people who were pursuing their goals in the business world.

“He brought in alumni that gave us advice on how to make it happen. They showed us all of the opportunities out there,” said Ponchick.

During his sophomore year, Ponchick presented the idea to Dining Services. After making numerous phone calls and negotiating with both the dining hall and SOME, he was able to put his plan into action. Ponchick understands that his group’s work reflects university’s dedication to community service.

“Through the project, the university is showing its community spirit,” he said. “It is participating in a project that is directly helping our surrounding area.”

This story is courtesy of the College Park Scholars Community Newsletter [PDF]

Related story:
The Diamondback: Loading up leftovers, Students donate extra Dining Services food

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Greg Muraski
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gmuraski@umd.edu 

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

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