A few students from BYU-Idaho have started a program to help deliver food to seniors in Rexburg.
Stephanie Beerar, one of the program’s creators, said she and a few of her classmates started the program in response to a class project to serve the community. Beerar asked Rexburg city councilwoman Tisha Flora what specific needs the community had at that time. She found that food and security were two big needs, especially for seniors.
The group joined forces with BYU-Idaho's I-Serve and the Rexburg Mobile Food Pantry to ensure that seniors who need food in Rexburg have it delivered to them. Once per month, I-Serve volunteers meet members of the food bank to pick up food and deliver to seniors in need.
Beerar said that, for many of the seniors, the delivers brought comfort outside of food.
“When they deliver the food, I feel like there is connection and comfort to the seniors and that the seniors also give the students comfort,” Beerar said.
Beerar said the program is a “win win” for both students and seniors who receive happiness and comfort from the interaction. She also said if she could take away one thing from the program it’s that it’s easy and possible to look for needs within your community.
“At the beginning, I didn’t realize how simple it is to step outside of our own little box and just ask what the needs are in our community and just move forward,” Beerar said.
Beerar said it can be easy to get stuck in the small details or feel stressed but the most important thing is to just ask and listen.