The Wayne State University Graduate School celebrated Graduate Student Appreciation Week with a Day of Service at Forgotten Harvest, a local food bank that delivers surplus food to charities providing Detroit families with nutritious food options.

“It’s not only important to show our appreciation for our hardworking graduate students but to our Detroit community, where our students live and learn,” said Graduate School Dean Amanda Bryant-Friedrich. “What better way to show that appreciation than with a day of service where we bring our students and community together?”

Twelve graduate students across disciplines volunteered to package food at Forgotten Harvest on April 2.

The day began with a tour provided by Forgotten Harvest CEO Adrian Lewis who showcased the warehouse, walk-in freezers, and a new trailer that will function as a mobile store in locations lacking permanent buildings.

“It was a pleasure hosting this group of Wayne State University graduate students as they gave their time to Forgotten Harvest’s mission,” Lewis said. “Food insecurity is a multi-faceted issue that requires engagement from many areas of our society, so it’s inspiring to see our community’s graduate students get involved in solutions to relieve that burden from our neighbors’ shoulders.”

Student volunteers assisted with packing and labeling food to be placed in boxes for program participants and cleared three pallets of hash brown potatoes, chocolate chip muffins, and oatmeal raisin cookie dough.

“I appreciated learning about Forgotten Harvest’s commitment to feeding families in need, and it felt good spending my time helping others,” said Griffin Kiegiel, a Ph.D. student in philosophy. “Everyone that we met was very kind, and I look forward to volunteering with them more in the future!”

The experience prioritizes Wayne State’s commitment to fostering meaningful student engagement and nurturing local partnerships that help tackle real-world problems.