The Rev. William Stein has seen people cut from jobs and negatively impacted by the economy.
Stein, a pastor in Kalamazoo and chairman of God’s Kitchen, a community kitchen in Springfield, Mich., is spearheading a project to create Sparty’s Kitchen, a community kitchen that will provide five meals a week to members of the East Lansing community and students by spring 2012.
A location has not been confirmed, but Stein is looking to create the kitchen near campus.
He said with the 2010 Census results listing 34.8 percent of East Lansing residents below the poverty line, Sparty’s Kitchen will be beneficial to the community. Stein said Sparty’s Kitchen will provide at least 20 meals a month to residents who come to the organization.
Stein has contacted the MSU School of Hospitality Business and hopes students in the program will plan and cook meals at Sparty’s Kitchen. He also hopes business students will work with Sparty’s Kitchen to gain experience working at a non profit organization.
Although officials from the MSU Food Bank and students have voiced support for the idea, the turnout was low at a Hunger Forum held Monday night at The People’s Church, 200 W. Grand River Ave.
Stein said after surveying businesses in the East Lansing area, he found some merchants were not supportive of Sparty’s Kitchen.
“(Lack of attendance at the Hunger Forum) says a lot about what’s going on in East Lansing,” Stein said. “Merchants said they don’t see a need for Sparty’s Kitchen. They believe if students can afford tuition, they must not be struggling to get food.”
Business and marketing sophomore Patryce Artis said she was unaware of the hunger issues affecting the East Lansing community.
But once she heard about Sparty’s Kitchen’s motives, she was supportive of the nonprofit organization’s involvement with MSU and the city.
“It’s a good way for students who are doing cooking and business to learn,” Artis said.
MSU Student Food Bank Director Nate Smith-Tyge said he is supportive of bringing a community kitchen to East Lansing, agreeing with Stein that hunger in the city, especially among MSU students, is a serious issue.
“At the food bank, the services we provide are supplemental, but we don’t provide enough food to be the primary source of (food for) families that we serve,” Smith-Tyge said.
Stein said Sparty’s Kitchen can help the community, but only if it has the community’s support, including MSU students.
“Community leaders … (and) local businesses must be involved in the entire process or the organization will fail,” Stein said.
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