Manna in Oxford

There is more to Oxford than the university being ranked the third top - ranked party
school by the Princeton Review. There are passionate 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 Authority.

The kitchen is full of college students who work together to make Manna work. The
group of students cooks 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,” I really enjoy
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,
"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 philanthropy. 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 deliver 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. "

Also in the kitchen is ,Logan Rush ,who was just recently announced Colonel Reb. Logan said,
"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 philanthropy. 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 deliver 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 deliver the food I noticed how the residents lived,
and it was kind of diverse community with one Ole Miss student, African
Americans, and a Caucasian lady. Laurie Williams, a Caucasian, 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, or he
said “ you can just show up on Thursday s at St. Peters church. There is a 2:30
cooking shift and 3:30 cleaning shift. You can also help deliver.”

There really is more to Oxford than the parties and there are students
who have a big heart.