Child helps her 'Big Wildcat' friends facing hunger
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
photos by Amy S. Lingg, Dining Services marketing and systems specialist
Emmy, who attends the college's Dunham Children's Learning Center, is surrounded by food donations she received from her friends at the center. She requested the donations – which she gave to The Cupboard – instead of presents for her 5th birthday.
This November, the Wildcat Express is hosting Give To The Cupboard – a monthlong event encouraging donations to The Cupboard to help students struggling with food insecurity.
To kick the month off, The Cupboard received a donation from one of Penn College’s littlest Wildcats. Emmy asked her fellow friends from the Children’s Learning Center for donations of nonperishable items for her 5th birthday instead of presents. Emmy was very excited to be helping “Big Wildcats” and was eager to stock the shelves with some of her donations.
The Cupboard, Penn College’s student food pantry, sees approximately 100 visit per month, a number that is only expected to increase in the coming months and the spring semester. With every donation that is received during the month of November, donors can add their name to the Wall of Giving to show their support for The Cupboard.
Items currently needed in The Cupboard include: breakfast items such as cereal and breakfast bars; fast and easy prep meals like Knorr Pasta Sides and instant mashed potatoes; shelf-stable essential items like peanut butter, canned fruit, soups with pop-tops, and short pasta like elbows, rotini or shells.
For more information about The Cupboard and how to make a donation, visit www.pct.edu/cupboard.
