May 4, 2009

Food for thought

Psychology Student Honor Society focuses on reducing hunger and increasing conservation at VCU

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From left: Melissa Blank, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology and Psi Chi advisor, is joined by Psi Chi officers Michelle Pope, Kelsey Roberts and Michelle Irby. VCU’s Psi Chi chapter promoted “Waste Week” to reduce food waste at Market 810. Photo by VCU student Udit Kumar.
From left: Melissa Blank, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology and Psi Chi advisor, is joined by Psi Chi officers Michelle Pope, Kelsey Roberts and Michelle Irby. VCU’s Psi Chi chapter promoted “Waste Week” to reduce food waste at Market 810. Photo by VCU student Udit Kumar.

Members of the VCU chapter of Psi Chi National Honor Society for Psychology have been collaborating with the National Alliance on Mental Health, VCU Dining Services and Aramark on projects aimed at collecting food and reducing hunger in the community. 

From April 13 to April 17, members promoted “Waste Week,” challenging students to reduce the amount of wasted food at Market 810 on the Monroe Park Campus. By the end of the week, Market 810 operator Aramark reported a 520-pound reduction in waste and donated an equivalent amount of food to the Central Virginia Foodbank.

The students and their faculty adviser hope to make “Waste Week” a regular event in conjunction with ongoing sustainability efforts at VCU.