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Pitt Reaching Out to Serve

Issue Date: 
January 13, 2014

Christmas Day at Pitt for Those in Need served 2,000 meals to guests from across the city on Dec. 25 in Litchfield Towers’ Market Central, the University of Pittsburgh’s largest dining hall. An annual Pitt tradition for eight years in partnership with Sodexo, which operates Pitt’s dining facilities—and with help from the Salvation Army in accessing those in need—the holiday repast is now the largest such event in the region. Led by Pitt Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Patricia E. Beeson and other senior leaders of the Pitt community, 220 volunteers served at the event. Santa gave 500 children Christmas gifts bought and donated by Pitt faculty, staff, and students, and 1,300 gift bags containing donated winter apparel and other essentials were also distributed. From left, are Ella Cook, daughter of Genevieve Cook; Ranjana Sahni, wife of Kannu Sahni, Pitt’s director of community relations; and Genevieve Cook, associate director of Pitt’s Office of International Services. John Wilds, Pitt’s assistant vice chancellor of community relations, said “it was an honor to serve our community, and we are thankful to the many Pitt faculty, staff, and students who volunteered their time and organized donation drives to bring joy to so many people.”