The Cafeteria in the MUC gives students all the food they could eat and more,and SIUE has found out what to do with the excess. Dining services has recently begun a partnership with the Crisis Food Center in Alton.The Crisis Food Center collects food for those in need and accepts donations from a wide variety of sources.

According to Director of the Crisis Food Center Susan Jolley,the Center's mission is to help families who need food because of emergency situations.

"We distribute a five day supply of nutriotionally balanced food to our clients," Jolley said."We also Patner with local grocery stores that donate produce and pastry items. We are supported by many businesses,clubs,trusts,wills and private donors."

SIUE Dining Services has donated food to several different organizations in the past including the Women's Crisis Center and the Glen Ed Pantry.Director of Dining Services Dennis Wobbe said they do a good job of making sure they  don't  order too  much food, but sometimes it is unavoidable.

"In general,we try and order the correct amount or we'll end up having a half-off type of thing if there is stuff left over  from events," Wobbe said."When we get where we  have extra produce or things like that we look to donate to local charitable organizations."

The donations are not a regular event because of how much food SIUE goes through,but  they make sure  they donate when they can.

"We only donates a couple times a  year when we have excess food,"Wobbe said."We've donated to several organizations before,but recently we've been focusing mainly with the Crisis Food Center."

Jolley said they receive donations at different points in the year and they are quite helpful    for the organizations.

"We got a lot of stuff around Christmas time,"Jolley said."Thins like lettuce and sandwiches ,just a real variety of food  for us."

The Crisis Food Center has also clothing for those who need it.They are the only local organization that doesn't charge anything for the clothes that they have,and Jolley said that is important.

"Sometimes a quarter for a T-shirt is the difference between 'I can afford my medication this week' or 'I cannot,'" Jolley said.

The Crisis Food Center has a volunteer workforce of about 40 people ,including  some student volunteers .One of those volunteers is Mike Wyatt,a senior construction management major here at SIUE.

"I've been volunteering here since about the middle of november,"Wyatt said."Sorting food and distributing to those who need it."

Donations and volunteers are always welcome at the Crisis Food Center.An organization     that gives food away every day can never have enough donations.Wyatt said like many food pantries ,there are times when more help is needed with food donations.

"There are always peaks and valleys as far as when pantries get food ,"Wyatt said."Any    time organizations have extra food we could use it."