In the lead up to Thanksgiving, on Nov. 19, Lehman College partnered with the Foodbank of New York and Montefiore Health System for an annual food produce distribution event. About a dozen folding tables were set up inside the students’ parking lot at Lehman College, where volunteers filled up paper grocery bags with several thousand pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables, including apples, bananas, corn, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, and zucchinis.

The produce was delivered directly from the Hunts Point Market that same morning and the bountiful grocery bags were later delivered to 20 different community groups in the Bronx, such as Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, and Catholic Charities. Others were destined for onward distribution by local elected officials including councilman and soon-to-be congressman, Ritchie Torres, State Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey, and Congressman Adriano Espaillat, among others.

One unique aspect of the food distribution event was that there wasn’t a turkey in sight. This wasn’t an oversight on the organizers’ part, however. Instead, it was a concerted effort to promote healthy food choices.

“Montefiore Einstein has a tradition of providing fresh fruit, vegetables, all fresh produce for the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Melissa Cebollero, senior director at the office of Community Affairs at Montefiore Health System. “We want to compliment all of the free Thanksgiving turkey giveaways and give families an opportunity to make healthier side dishes.”

A half block south, on Goulden Avenue, students from Lehman College stopped by Gate 5 where they were able to avail of 50 bags of fresh produce combined with non-perishable packaged foods like pasta, oatmeal, and bran flakes.

In 2017, the Herbert H. Lehman Food Bank was formed in response to the growing number of students experiencing food insecurity at the college, and to help them meet their nutritional needs. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses the term “food security,” to describe the status of a household that has “access, by all people, at all times, to enough food for an active, healthy life.” A family experiencing difficulties providing this basic amount of food is considered to be experiencing food insecurity.

“Nearly 50 percent of Lehman College students experienced some form of food insecurity even before the pandemic,” according to a statement from Lehman College. To date, the college food bank has distributed more than 6,800 meals to affected students.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, student requests for food services from the food bank increased by 300 percent. Mary Morfe, 49, has been studying at Lehman for a year, and knows firsthand one of the consequences of living with food insecurity. “I [developed] anemia [during] one of my semesters,” Morfe told the Norwood News.

Food distribution events like this one allow Morfe to let her fellow students see the link between healthy eating and doing well academically. “Every student can be more productive if they eat on time, and have the food they need at home,” she said. “It’s very important.”

A survey conducted in March by the student food bank unit found that 86 percent of the college’s students “worry about running out of money to buy food” and “44 percent skipped a meal because they could not afford it.”

While the number of students facing food insecurity at Lehman may seem stark, there is optimism that their needs can be met through collaborative efforts. Colleen Lutolf is director of media relations at Lehman College, and has praised the various groups which have joined forces to combat student hunger. She referenced the produce bags from Montefiore, along with the food donations from the Food Bank of New York.

In addition, she said, “The SGA [Student Government Association] at Lehman College has been generous enough to donate a $15 gift card to students so they’ll have a complete Thanksgiving meal.” It was hoped students could use the gift-card to buy a ham or turkey.

Meanwhile, beyond the Thanksgiving holiday, students like Morfe want to spread the good news, and make sure other classmates know about the general availability of food at the college, through the campus food bank. “I also use the service,” Morfe said. “Because this has helped me, I would like to help others.”

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.