Students in a California State University, Fresno’s Culinology® class, “Cooking for Health,” plan the second annual Come Eat Our Homework fundraiser at 5 p.m. April 26 in the Vintage Room restaurant on campus.
The $50-a-person event offers a six-course dinner prepared by the students under the guidance of assistant professor Klaus Tenbergen, a master chef with experience on three continents.
Net proceeds from the dinner and a silent auction will benefit the Bulldog Pantry, a student-operated emergency food source at the Lutheran Campus Ministry near campus. Students in the class chose Bulldog Pantry from among numerous worthwhile organizations in the community.
“We thought this event would be a great way to give back to the community and fulfill a class requirement at the same time,” said Kelly Miller, a student in the class.
The Bulldog Pantry is operated and maintained exclusively by Fresno State student volunteers. Students started it in response to emergency food needs in the campus area such as El Dorado Park and Vinland Elementary school.
Every Saturday the Bulldog Pantry opens its doors from 9 to 11 a.m. to distribute bags of groceries to every person walking through the doors. The money raised at Come Eat Our Homework will be used to purchase shelving and refrigeration for the pantry.
“Being involved since the pantry started, I know that shelving and refrigeration will help us tremendously in providing a greater variety of essential food to the people we serve,” Miller said.
The evening will be completed by performances of the campus Salsa Club and by students from the Department of Music.
The students also are asking those who attend to donate an easy-to-open, ready-to-eat, nonperishable food item that will help stock Bulldog Pantry.
The event is open to the public, but there is limited seating. To reserve a seat, make a donation to the silent auction or obtain additional details, contact Tenbergen at 559.994.6434 or via e-mail, ktenbergen@csufresno.edu.
