World Kindness Day: PB&J Time

In addition to supplying food for Mines students, faculty, and staff, Sodexo hosts a charity event at least once a semester.

On Friday, Nov. 11, Sodexo hosted an event in Mines Market in honor of World Kindness Day.

Throughout the day, students made a total of 500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches which were distributed to the Christ in the City Food Bank. During October, in honor of National Food Bank Day, 560 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were made by Mines students, which were distributed to the Food Bank of the Rockies.

“Sodexo’s foundation supports stopping hunger,” explained Susan Fukushima, manager of Sodexo at Colorado School of Mines. This year, nine Sodexo sites celebrated World Kindness Day by hosting a peanut butter and jelly drive.

Over 20 hospitals, 18 universities, 8 schools, and 20 corporate services contribute to volunteering in Sodexo-hosted charity events. Outside of Sodexo’s Colorado district, schools and businesses participate in the events throughout the Pacific Northwest and Western United States.

“Last year we donated 5600 sandwiches, and this year we are trying to beat that,” stated Fukushima. Sodexo provides all of the funding necessary to put on these events, and all of the products come from local grocers in the area. Sodexo’s mission has always been to stop hunger, and charity events have been hosted by Sodexo for many years.

One in five kids living in Colorado face food insecurity, and one in seven Coloradans struggle with hunger.

“I think that the students feel good that they are able to help and contribute to the community,” explained Fukushima. “There were even a couple faculty that signed up.”

In total, there were sixteen Mines faculty and students who volunteered their time throughout the day to make sandwiches.

Fukushima brought Sodexo’s charity program to Mines last year, and the program has since grown dramatically. Sodexo also offers a scholarship for students who are active in helping to feed the hungry; the application can be found at their website.