Spring Break
In Peace Dale, URI Greek community lends a hand
Tyler Will
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: News
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The Jonnycake Center provides food and other basic needs to families in the local area.
Phil Bowers, the president of the Inter-Fraternity Council, and Kerri Koppenaal, president of the Panhellenic Association, presented the center with the donation last week, according to a press release.
All 13 fraternities and all nine sororities participated, the release says.
The center, located on Route 108, consists of a food pantry and a thrift shop, and provides information for needy families to find heating assistance and toiletry items.
Jonnycake Center Development Officer Lisa Wright said the $12,000 donation will last about six or seven weeks, because the center spends about $1,500 a week on food.
"I think this is probably the most generous donation we've got from the Greek system," Wright said. "It was such a tremendous gift they gave to us. We were really impressed."
Wright said this time last year, the center served about 567 families, and that number has doubled in the last year. "People are coming in every day," she said.
Though the donation will account for several weeks of purchasing, it will also supply the center's pantry with several months of food.
The center's pantry, which is about the size of the Corner Store in the Hope Commons, has food from all food groups on the food pyramid, and Wright said customers usually come about once a month and are allowed to take about one week's amount of food.
Bowers said the Jonnycake Center was chosen because the Greek community wanted to honor URI President Robert L. Carothers' career, and the money was donated to a charity of his choosing. Philanthropy Week was held Nov. 15 to Nov. 22.
