PHOTO PROVIDED Footprints of Montgomery Director Karen Eck, Bucknell University Professor Eric Martin, students Will Paul, Bella Martin, state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, students Jane Wong, Cabell Chesnault and Vice Director Barb Shrimp.

Although a time of celebration and togetherness, the holiday season can also be a stressful time, and with the added uncertainty around the distribution of SNAP benefits paired with ever increasing costs of living, this year is no exception.

To help fill those gaps, many have turned to nonprofits and other organizations such as food donation facilities, one of those being Footprints of Montgomery Food Pantry, who recently received a helping hand itself, courtesy of Bucknell University.

Begun by a local church 10 years ago, Footprints initially handed out clothing and very basic needs before it outgrew two locations, finally settling into its current location, 171 Bower St. Ext., Montgomery, roughly seven years ago.

“We went from 30 families to around 95 families right now,” said Director Karen Eck, of the 25 volunteer-strong operation.

Eck said Footprints has seen an uptick in interest among area residents in recent weeks.

“We’ve fielded many phone calls from people wanting to know when we’re open. We’ve had a few calls from people coming in for emergency visits. I don’t want anybody to ever have to go hungry. That would break my heart,” she said, while noting that the pantry primarily serves residents of the Montgomery Area School District.

As they gear up to serve their patrons, a group of students from Bucknell University Professor Eric Martin’s business management 101 class have stepped up to help the pantry.

In place of a traditional lecture, the class sees students put into various company positions with the goal of aiding a local nonprofit. The “company” set up by this semester’s students is aptly named, “Appetite for Change.”

The initiative has been going on within the class since 1979, Martin said.

Following a walk through by school officials and students, Footprints was the obvious choice for the class.

“We just fell in love with the community and the people here,” said company CEO and Bucknell marketing sophomore Bella Hughes.

“It’s really inspiring, because with the position we have at Bucknell, we wanted to make the biggest difference we could with the resources we have,” she said.

The students tackled a number of tasks at the facility, among them, floor restoration and painting, re-painting of walls, the creation of a mural, and the creation of banners and a float for the borough’s recent Veterans Day parade, which was a highlight for Hughes, who hopes to go into the consulting field upon graduation.

Members of the class carried out all of the repairs, etc. themselves, which sometimes required research and the acquisition of new skills.

“You could call it ‘management 101,’ but now we’re learning construction concepts and painting. So, it’s a very broad class,” she said.

The student company is responsible for purchasing all materials used in the various projects, totaling around $800, according to Martin.

To do so, they raised funds by creating and selling crewneck t-shirts complete with Bucknell’s alma mater, founding date and a picture of the Rooke Chapel, produced by Jordana Adams Boutique, of Lewisburg.

In order to fully fund their projects, the students must sell 126 of the crewneck shirts, with proceeds from any additional sales going directly to the pantry, Hughes said.

Shirts are available on-campus and across school sporting events, Hughes noted.

To date, the students have also raised nearly $1,500 for the pantry’s Give Butter fund, Martin said.

Hughes said helping at the pantry has had an immeasurable effect on a population that has fortunately been spared the hardships seen in other communities.

“On campus, they call it the ‘Bucknell Bubble,'” she explained.

“A lot of people that go to Bucknell come from very privileged backgrounds, and they don’t recognize that there’s situations like this out there, and I think it’s almost an eye opening experience,” said Hughes, who is also minoring in entrepreneurship and data analytics.

“Getting people in here and seeing the hands-on work they do really builds a connection to the community,” she said.

“Our class is eager, outside of the grade we receive, to work with Footprints, because they know that they can make an impact just as an individual person,” Hughes stressed.

“We were so excited that they chose us,” Eck said, noting their presence and contribution has been a huge boost of morale for the staff.

“We just love the energy they brought with them,” she said.

“We’re cheerful to come in and share the changes with our clients, and getting food donations will help keep our shelves stocked,” Eck said, noting that, in addition to the normal donations they receive, they are currently aiming to bulk up Thanksgiving-related foods.

Hughes said she hopes the work of the class can help end the unjust stigma that can surround those who just need a little help.

“We’re bringing empowerment to the people that come here. It’s not something to be ashamed of to come to a food pantry and to need help,” Hughes said.

“Doing some of the esthetic things helps them feel that they’re welcomed into a comforting, inviting space,” she said.

But Eck stressed that if it wasn’t for the facility’s volunteers, none of what they do would be possible.

“We have several volunteers that have come in through the years. Maybe they lost their spouse or their children left home, and they’re by themselves, and they want to go out and help,” she said.

“Because we’re a smaller community, it makes a difference how active and how caring our people are,” Eck said, adding, “Footprints is the community.”

For more information on Footprints of Montgomery or to donate to the pantry, please visit their website www.footprintsof montgomery.org or reach out via email at footprintsofmontgomery.gmail.com, by telephone at 570-337-7146 or by messenger through their Facebook page.