Leftover food from campus dining halls is helping feed hundreds of people across the Finger Lakes, thanks to Hobart and William Smith students leading the fight against hunger.
Through the Food Recovery Network at HWS, students rescue thousands of pounds of unused but edible food each year and deliver it to shelters and food pantries throughout the region.
From campus to community
The Food Recovery Network began at the University of Maryland in 2011 and now includes more than 8,000 student volunteers nationwide. It launched at HWS during the 2024–25 academic year and quickly grew into a major community resource.
This year, the program is led by Nick Jones ’26 and Lorelei Lynott ’28, along with a dedicated group of student volunteers. Working with Sodexo staff, volunteers collect surplus food from Saga dining hall and other campus food-service locations.
“Volunteers come in and transfer the food to plastic containers, which are then transported to places in need,” Lynott said.
The food goes to organizations across the Finger Lakes, including the Community Lunch Program in Geneva and the Samaritan Center in Syracuse.
Big impact in one year
During the 2024–25 academic year, the HWS chapter distributed about 11,000 pounds of food. Roughly 9,500 pounds came from recovered meals, with another 1,500 pounds in student-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
This semester alone, students donated about 5,000 pounds of food — the equivalent of roughly 5,000 meals. Volunteers also made 2,200 sandwiches, donated a ton of apples, contributed about 200 hours of service, and supported 10 community partners.
Community partners see the difference
Local organizations say the impact is significant.
“They’re bringing us a lot of food,” said Carolyn Cook, founder and director of Helpful Hearts in Lyons. Cook said the donations support her organization’s free lunch program for people experiencing homelessness.
“It’s been very helpful,” she said. “Hobart and William Smith has added 50 percent more to the program. That’s quite a bit, and it’s a big help.”
The Samaritan Center in Syracuse also received monthly deliveries of sandwiches made by HWS students.
“They filled our guests’ needs and their spirits,” said Chief Development Officer Joelle Harleston.
More than food recovery
Beyond recovering meals, students have expanded their work through fundraising and outreach. HWS Student Government, in collaboration with the Food Recovery Network and campus partners, raised more than $1,100 through a “Hearty Meals in a Bag” drive to combat food insecurity.
For the students involved, the work is deeply personal.
“Service has been important to me since I was little,” Lynott said.
Jones said he was inspired by former FRN leader Aiden Greiff ’25 and sees food recovery as both a practical and moral issue.
“Throwing food into the compost bin in order to make more food doesn’t make sense,” Jones said. “It’s important to get the food to the people who need it.”
That’s exactly what HWS students continue to do — turning surplus into sustenance, one meal at a time.
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