The first Belmont Student Government Association meeting of the school year got off to a busy start Monday night, focusing on the annual budget approval and a plan for a Belmont-operated food drive.
The first vote of the school year was to approve the new $75,000 budget. SGA is planning on giving funding to more student organizations than in previous years, with $46,000 in grant petition award money being approved as a large portion — 61 percent — of the yearly budget.
However, SGA President Shania Jones wasted no time revealing the first big plan for the semester: a Belmont operated food bank that will benefit underprivileged Belmont students.
For two years Jones has been trying to get a food bank for Belmont students started on campus. She believes this is the year it is finally going to happen.
“There are people who are hungry and can’t eat,” said Jones. “We have the resources and the money here.”
Jones has already run the idea post both Belmont President Dr. Robert Fisher and Associate Provost and Dean of Students Jeffery Burgin, who both liked the idea, she said.
She does not know if SGA will work directly with the administration on this project, but would “love for there to be some partnership in the mix,” she said.
The next step is to implement a plan to make the food drive a reality.
SGA would first hold food drives to collect supplies to hand out to students who are in need. Jones hopes to have the food drive running before winter break to ensure students who will need food during the nearly month-long break at home will have it.
Jones plans on meeting with Fisher and his team again to discuss getting the food drive started before the break, she said.
Once the food drive is in place, SGA will need the help of students to make it successful, said Jones.
“I hope their hearts are open to help.”
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This article written by Harrison Baldwin. Photo and graph courtesy of Belmont SGA.