Even during pandemic, Hive serves student food needs

VN photo illustration by Devonne Mccullough

BY ALLIE FALK / VN STAFF WRITER

The Hive, a student-led organization, maintains a constant mission of providing food to students to assist them in accomplishing their collegiate goals. 

But the worldwide pandemic has presented challenges, according to senior Ashley Bivins, the marketing manager.

The business administration major said that The Hive provides food not only to students during this time but also serves staff and faculty, as well as contractors at all Detroit Mercy campus locations. 

Dozens of Detroit Mercy students receive sustainable food products once a month from the organization.

In this new environment, The Hive services is doing fairly well, said Bivins, although more volunteers are needed due to the heavy lifting of groceries each trip. 

The Hive receives food from Kroger and Walmart and gets fresh produce from Gleaners. 

However, for the time being, volunteers cannot be accepted due to Covid-19.

Operations are limited as a result. However, if not in a pandemic, students looking to volunteer and sign up could simply email The Hive. 

“We’re pretty easygoing,” said Bivins. “There’s just a short training session to complete before starting, and after that the volunteer would be set to go.”

Bivins said her favorite memory being part of The Hive occurred in early summer 2020 when Donna Diamond, founder of The Hive, and a few other employees and managers, including Bivins, played hopscotch outside with music playing while donating food to others. 

The Hive fits volunteer opportunities to students’ needs and schedules.

Some volunteer for credit hours. Some participate for one day. Others remain for an extended time. 

Bivins said volunteers don’t come from a specific major. They’re all over the place, she said. 

Plans for the near future are bright.

Workers hope more resources will be available for students, potentially even a scholarship for an individual one day.

The Hive aims to maintain a family-like structure, allowing for the opportunity to give back and better, for flexible scheduling and to make the lives of students a little easier. 

“Although UDM is a private institution, not everyone is as fortunate as one might think. This is where The Hive really steps in and gets involved by helping one another,” said Bivins.