By William Coffman, Local News Editor
The Student Government Association (SGA) recently launched its Dining Dollars Donation program, where students can use remaining dining dollars to purchase food for donation at various locations around campus.
With less than two weeks to go until the semester concludes for summer break, Xavier students may find they have more dining dollars then they know what to do with. The new initiative encourages students to donate them.
The new program is a partnership between SGA, Xavier Eats, All For One Shops and Auxiliary Services. Recognizing that students leave campus for summer break with leftover dining dollars that do not carry over into the fall, the senate felt the money could be used to benefit the surrounding Cincinnati community.
Luca Filigenzi, SGA Senator, a sophomore Philosophy, Politics and the Public (PPP) major and the creator of the idea, spoke on why he feels this initiative is so important and how it could benefit the greater Cincinnati area.
“The dining dollar donation drive was inspired by the enormous amount of dining dollars that go unused. Llast year almost $30,000 dining dollars remained in students’ accounts. This program will allow that money to be put to good use,” Filigenzi said.
From April 22 through May 9, small tables of food and snacks will be set up at Victory Perk, Hoff Dining Commons and the All For One Shop in the Gallagher Student Center. Students can purchase items at these tables with their dining dollars, then put the items in a yellow bucket located at each table. The yellow buckets will then be sent to Freestore Foodbank, which distributes meals each year to counties in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.
“By working with Freestore Foodbank, Xavier students have an opportunity to exercise Jesuit values, and make sure idle money becomes well spent,” Filigenzi said.
SGA has made it known they are looking to help lead a new spirit of community service on campus. Through initiatives like Filigenzi’s Dining Dollars Donation program and Trash Bash — the program where SGA senators clean up trash around neighborhoods off campus — SGA efforts can benefit both on campus and off.
Dining Dollar Donations was made by Luca Filigenzi to help reduce unused dining dollars, by donating them.
Sophomore PPP major and chair of SGA’s Campus On and Off Living committee Emma Rehse, has helped lead the charge regarding these new community service initiatives. Rehse helped oversee and make Filigenzi’s proposal a reality, and had positive things to say about its implementation on campus.
“I think that this was a needed project and will be one that can become a Xavier tradition,” Rehse said.
“If you want to make an impact but lack dining dollars, spreading awareness is still key,” Filigenzi said. “Letting people know that they can do something with their money is helpful to the cause.”