Unity College staff, led by President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury, packed boxes of food from the college’s pantry and donated roughly 20 large boxes of food to the Waterville Food Bank on Oct. 21. The college donated 1,141 items weighing roughly 1,851 pounds, according to a news release from the college.

A majority of the food donated on Wednesday were bulk items that will be distributed to organizations including the Muskie Center, Boys and Girls Club, High Hopes Clubhouse, Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers, local homeless shelters, and will also be available at the Waterville Food Pantry.

“I know just how hard many within our community have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Khoury said as he loaded boxes into the back of the food bank’s van. “This is one way that we can give back to the community and really make a tangible difference in many people’s lives right now.”

Unity College’s mission is centered around educating the environmental stewards of tomorrow, and one of the keys to being a leader is to help those in need within your community, according to the release.

“We’re very happy to work with Unity College,” said Sandy Hammond, operations manager for the Waterville Food Bank. “Food is an important issue right now in our community, and this will allow us to give more food to our clients on a more consistent timetable, so we are very grateful to the college for this opportunity.”

Hammond also notes that nobody seeking food assistance will be turned away, so long as they abide by the current safety protocols in place upon their visit.