Mana

There is more to  Oxford, Mississippi  than the univesity  being ranked the third top - ranked   party school by the Princeton Review. There are passoniate  and well- rounded students who spend their Thursday afternoons at St. Peters Episcopal Church working together to make a meal  a for the recipients of Manna since 2003. The recipients of Manna are residents who are referred from the Interfaith Compassion Ministry who live in the Oxford Housing Authoriy.  

The kitchen is full of college  students who work together to make Manna work. The group of students   cook the food, package the meals into disposable  plates,clean the dishes , and  deliver the food. Jennifer Varner, a junior,sorority member,  comes every Thursday and helps prepare the meal, said  that she really enjoys it and is glad she can use her talents for something good. Also in the kitchen is Logan Rush who was just recently elected Colonel Reb. Logan said that,  "I started  doing it  my freshman year and to be honest  my  initial motivation was that there was another Sigma Chi that was the director at the time and I wanted a good  philantropy. I think at the time I didn't really see it as a way to help people I because another way to get involved with a philantropy , and it really didn't have that much importance. I really didn't know what it was. I started working and cooking and it still didn't mean that much.  It  wasn't until I actually started to deliever the meals  seeing that side of Oxford like the projects and lower income apartments . Seeing these people  when they come home from school who probably aren't going to get a meal because the only meals that they receive are at school.   I saw the work we were doing.I saw the point of it.  I saw the people we were helping and that is when it hit me that it wasn't  so much just that would look good on my resume or medical school.That we are actually making a difference where I am at and  helping people just to help them since I have the opportunity to help them and the means and the blessings too. When I start to get busy and think of Manna like a chore. It is nice to think back on the people and that provides the motivation for it. "

When I went to the apartments and  help deliever the food. It was kind of diverse community with one student, African Americans, and a caucasian lady. Laurie Williams, a causian, disabled lady said, " I enjoy the interaction with the young people. It gives me something to look forward to and it does help a lot and I appreciate it. " I did see children running  to the door with a big smile and the adults were glad to get the food also.

To become involved with Manna please contact,campus director, Logan Rush, at jlrush@olemiss.edu .