Flex Out Hunger raises over $20,000 to strengthen community food access and serve emergency needs
Sigma Phi Epsilon, Members of the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program, and the Virginia Tech Dean of Students stand in Perry Place at Hitt Hall to celebrate their Flex Out Hunger fundraiser achievement. Photo by Darren Van Dyke for Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech Dining Services and Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity raised over $15,000 for the Montgomery Emergency Assistance Program and over $5,000 for the Student Emergency Fund through the Flex Out Hunger fundraiser.
The fundraiser encourages students with meal plans to donate their leftover dining dollars at the end of the school year. From the end of April to early May, brothers from Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity stationed themselves outside dining halls to help plan holders donate in person.
“The Virginia Kappa Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity is living out the values of 'Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love' by their continued commitment to this philanthropic effort," said Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Abbi Hanson Allen. "It is additionally meaningful that there is such a strong impact directly to the New River Valley community."
Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity brothers stand at Flex Out Hunger booths outside Turner Place at Lavery Hall to collect donations. Photo by Darren Van Dyke for Virginia Tech.
Donations to the Montgomery Emergency Assistance Program aid them in supplying food and household items for low-income, unemployed, elderly, or disabled individuals, families, and students in the community surrounding Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus.
The Student Emergency Fund, coordinated by the Dean of Students Office, is a core component of Student Affairs support for students' essential needs within Virginia Tech Advantage. The fund helps students who may encounter emergent financial, personal, educational, or external problems.
The fundraiser’s donations benefit both the community around and within Virginia Tech. With combined efforts from Virginia Tech Dining Services and Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, the Flex Out Hunger program continues to strengthen the community one donation at a time.
"We always look forward to our collaboration with Sigma Phi Epsilon's philanthropic cause supporting the Flex Out Hunger program," said Dining Services Director Brian Grove. "The donated funds have deeply positive impacts on the student experience and our community."
