SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Penn State Schuylkill students, faculty and staff came together to support the local community through a campus-wide cereal box drive benefiting Helping Harvest. Over 200 pounds of cereal was collected and donated to the food bank, which provides food assistance to individuals and families across Berks and Schuylkill counties.
The cereal box drive, organized by Shakwat Chowdhury, assistant director of student affairs, brought together a wide range of campus groups, including student organizations, academic departments and athletic teams. Participating groups included the Beekeeping Club, Sustainability Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Honors Program, Student Nurses Association at Penn State Schuylkill (SNAPSS), Lion Ambassadors, Women in Leadership, Music Club, Nittany Players, Penn State Schuylkill Benefitting THON, Tri Beta, Student Affairs Office, Library, Admissions, Athletics, and Business Services.
To celebrate the success of the drive, the donated boxes were creatively lined up throughout the Student Community Center for a campus “domino effect.” Students, faculty, staff and representatives from Helping Harvest gathered to watch as the boxes tumbled in a long, colorful chain reaction — a visual representation of the collective impact the Penn State Schuylkill community can make when working together.
“The idea for the cereal box drive came from our Tutoring Coordinator, Darlene Young, and Student Affairs helped organize and bring it to life,” said Chowdhury. “Working with the Student Government Association (SGA), we reached out to clubs and organizations to offer service points for their participation. Looking ahead, Student Affairs and SGA plan to continue developing initiatives that focus on community outreach and support, creating a lasting positive impact for Penn State Schuylkill and Schuylkill County as a whole.”
Representatives from Helping Harvest — Bethany Ream, development assistant, and Blake Reed, direct response fundraising manager — attended the event and expressed gratitude for the campus’s continued support and generosity.
“Partnerships are essential in helping us to accomplish our mission to feed the community,” says Reed. “We are incredibly thankful for partnerships with places like Penn State Schuylkill that help us to raise awareness about hunger and support our work.”
Zach Fisher, a fourth-year student and president of the Student Government Association, helped coordinate student participation in the drive.
“Seeing students come together for the cereal box donation was incredible. This year, it was especially important for SGA to encourage clubs and students to get more involved in the community, and we’re so grateful for how strongly they responded,” Fisher said. “SGA helped to get the word out, but it was the students’ enthusiasm, teamwork and generosity that truly made the drive a success. Their willingness to step up really reflects the spirit of our campus and our commitment to giving back. Going forward, we are excited to see even more of these initiatives and community involvement throughout the rest of the year.”
Chowdhury said the event is a reminder of Penn State Schuylkill’s commitment to service and community connection. “The energy in the room was amazing — everyone came together for a great cause,” he said. “It’s small actions like these that make a big difference.”
The donated cereal will be distributed by Helping Harvest’s to local food pantries, mobile markets, church programs, soup kitchens and school pantries to support families and individuals in need.