SNAP AND THE SOP
Before anything else, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible surge in donations and support for the SOP, the Spartan Food Insecurity Fund, and the SAFE Fund since November 1st. The outpouring of gifts allowed the SOP to distribute the most food in any two-week period in our pantry’s history. Last […]
SNAP Disrubtions and Hunger Challeges
Many of you have already been tracking the effects of both the federal shutdown and changes to funding and eligibility, and wondering what they will mean on campus and for the Spartan Open Pantry. While we have already seen some effects from federal employee furloughs, we expect a significant increase in usage starting this coming […]
Summer 2024 at the SOP
The staff and volunteers at the Spartan Open Pantry are incredibly grateful for the incredible support that has allowed us to distribute 54,754 pounds of food during the 2023-2024 school year. The pantry has remained busy this summer, distributing between 800 and 1200 pounds weekly. At the end of this summer, we expect to have […]
A New Year at the SOP
As we begin the 2023-2024 academic year, it seems an appropriate time to stop and celebrate all that has been accomplished over the past year. With a week remaining, we have already given out one ton more food and have served more students than in any previous year. As of the time of writing, 44,213.46 […]
Spring Semester RMN Service
Join college students, reconciling church members and neighbors for an evening of conversation, community and worship at College Place UMC in Greensboro. Enjoy a meal prepared by the Spartan Open Panty staff, hear updates about the United Methodist Church, and then worship with students at their regular Sunday Night Live Communion Service. For those able […]
Debunking Shapiro
Some quick notes before the piece: Firstly, I am not an expert in these fields (nor is Shapiro), so I try to stay tight to the general scientific and medical consensus. Secondly, you will find an expletive in this piece. I usually remove all of those before posting, but it belongs. Finally, this is not […]
A Message in Support of our Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming Neighbors
Earlier this week, the Young Americans for Freedom at UNCG shared a meme that should rightly be referred to as hate speech targeting transgender and non-binary members of our community. The post itself, and the comments made by students involved in the organization, are factually errant and show a clear lack of understanding of the […]
My Year at the SOP
When I was asked to write this post, I had no idea what to write. How can I describe the Spartan Open Pantry and everything that it means to me? That seems like an impossible task, but I will do my best. I think the only true way to describe the Spartan Open Pantry is […]
The Roots of Our Faith
Reclaim our past; renew our present There is an old Polish saying, “you are never truly lost until you do not know where you have been.” The challenges over the past few years have left many asking self-reflective questions about our faith. Perhaps two of the most important are, where have we come from and […]
Comfort, Hope and Justice
The recent violence in Atlanta has again placed a bright light on the issues of pervasive racism and misogyny in our country. Eight more lives were taken, and countless more were twisted and transformed. Wesley-Luther stands with the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities. Over the past year, hate crimes and hate incidents against […]