Food drive helps feed Radford children in need

SOLDOrangeCar

Visitors to the drive helped fill a unique Citroën 2CV Spot with food for local children in need.

The members of School's Out Lunch Delivery (SOLD), a program run by Radford University Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology (Psy.D.) students, managed to "stuff the orange car" at their July 18 food drive.

Shoppers and visitors at Kroger in Fairlawn, Virginia, showed their generosity and contributed a carload of food that will help feed Radford children in need.

SOLD's mission is to provide food to children who would normally qualify for free or reduced lunch during the school year. In the summer, this resource is not available and they run the risk of going without meals. In 2013, 42 percent of students in Radford City Schools benefitted from the free or reduced lunch program.

Doctoral student Stirling Barfield has delivered food for SOLD for three summers and has seen firsthand what the program means to some Radford families. One mother told Barfield that without the program she would not be able to feed her family over the summer.

SOLD was formed five years ago by Psy.D. students looking to make a difference with a social justice project in the Radford community.

"Social justice is a part of our program," said Sarah Abercrombie, a doctoral student and project coordinator. "We're really passionate about developing, training and counseling psychologists."

SOLDPsyDStudents

SOLD volunteers were (from left) Stirling Barfield, Associate Professor of Psychology Ruth Riding-Malon, Savannah LeBarre, Anna Vandevender, Crystal Hank, Sarah Abercrombie and Stephen Casazza.

The food drive had visits from several members of the Radford University community including Dean of Students Irvin Clark, a strong advocate of community service.

"People do not know how much you care, until you show how much you care," said Clark, who did his part to help the program. "The SOLD food drive is critically important to assisting those [in need] who live within our community."

For more information about SOLD or ways to contribute, contact Sarah Abercrombie at 540-570-0965 or SOLDRadford@gmail.com.

Jul 21, 2015