When Binghamton University freshman Shira Kirschner applied for The Contribution Project award, the application asked, “If someone gave you $400 to make a difference in your community, what would you do with it?”
Throughout her freshman year at Binghamton University, Kirschner has made an effort to immerse herself in Binghamton’s community, both on and off campus, and she was very excited to be a recipient of the award so she could plan a project that would make an impact in these communities.
With the growing food needs in many areas, she decided to focus on food insecurity in the local Johnson City community and chose the school district’s Wildcat Food and Clothing Center.
Using her $400 award, she was able to shop for various ingredients and assemble 38 meal kits, in addition to 60 no-cook food items, with a focus on nutritious and filling ingredients. These meal kits included ingredients and printed recipe cards for five different dinners, lunches, and a birthday cake.
“This project was meaningful to me because I am passionate about utilizing food as a tool to support overall health and well-being,” said Kirschner. “I understand that healthier food options can sometimes be perceived as more expensive, and I wanted to show people that you can put together a balanced meal on a budget that also supports your health.”
She said implementing her idea would not have been possible without the help of graduate assistant for the Public Service Learning community, Asha Philip, who connected her with the Wildcat Food & Clothing Center, and Kirschner's friend, Gianna Barberio, who helped her shop for ingredients and assemble the final kits.
“Receiving this funding from The Contribution Project allowed me to turn a simple idea into a tangible way of supporting my local community. While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by global challenges, like food insecurity, this experience served as a powerful reminder that local, collaborative efforts can make a difference in their immediate impacts too. I look forward to continuing these efforts and hopefully partnering with the Johnson City Schools in the future.”
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