Elmhurst University’s Greek community brought the love—and the granola bars, the protein drinks, the toothpaste and so much more—to their fellow Bluejays recently, after collecting more than 7,700 items for the campus food closet.
Over just a couple of hours on April 24, members of Elmhurst’s 11 sororities and fraternities delivered dozens of boxes and bags of donated items to the Office of Student Involvement to stock the closet.
When Panhellenic Council President Careen Hazelgrove ’27 dropped by the office that morning to help out, she wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming response.
“I did not expect the donation effort to be as large as it became, and I honestly could not have asked for it to have gone any better,” said Hazelgrove, a secondary education social science major. “I feel extremely proud and very blessed to be part of something that’s providing a service to our campus community.”
The Student Food Drive was the final activity of a high-energy Greek Week, when the fraternities and sororities came together for challenges and events designed to foster community and collective impact.
Greek Week activities usually have concluded with a donation drive to benefit a food pantry in the City of Elmhurst or in DuPage County. This year, the planning committee decided to change things up.
“Philanthropy and service are vital pillars for all our Greek organizations, and we realized we had a powerful opportunity to support our own,” said Daniela Barca, assistant director of student involvement. “We chose to pivot our focus toward the campus food pantry so that chapters could directly support and benefit their peers right here on campus.”
“I am incredibly proud of the turnout,” she said. “While I knew the groups would be involved based on their energy throughout the week, I was truly blown away by the sheer volume of donations. Seeing the stacks of water cases, meals and essential hygiene products was a testament to their dedication.”
The food closet began about two years ago as a small cabinet, stocked with food items and personal hygiene essentials, intended to address immediate student needs, said Colleen Zavodny, director of student support services and intervention. The space has grown, to accommodate increased awareness and demand.
“Many students are balancing academics, work, family responsibilities and rising living costs,” she said, “so having access to basic necessities can make a significant difference in their overall well-being and success.”
The items donated during Greek Week will be especially helpful for students with limited resources who are staying on campus over the summer.
“I was genuinely surprised by how much our Greek organizations were able to contribute, and I am incredibly thankful for their generosity,” Zavodny said. “Their giving spirit will help support countless students, and I am always in awe of the good our students do each and every day for one another and for the larger campus community.”
Donations to the food closet can be made anytime. For more information or to get a list of needed items, please contact Colleen Zavodny at [email protected].