Building Community One Meal at a Time

For Prachi Shashidhar, a sophomore studying finance in the Rutgers School of Business–Camden, a meal has always represented something more than the sum of its ingredients.

“I have loved cooking since I was very young,” said Shashidhar. “There is so much potential for food and cooking to connect communities and bring happiness to others.”

This belief in the power of food and the knowledge that so many in Camden regularly face food insecurity drove Shashidhar to create Cooking for Camden with fellow Rutgers–Camden student Rhea Sharma. This student-led effort works with the leadership of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Market Street in Camden to reduce hunger by serving delicious, nutrition-dense meals to guests who visit the church every Friday.

“I was a volunteer at the church before this project,” said Shashidhar. “The work they were doing was amazing, but I wondered if there were ways it could be even better, especially when it came to the nutrition of the food." She recalled thinking the simple sandwiches often served to guests helped meet the immediate need of reducing hunger but may not have been feeding the souls of those who gathered.

At the time, Shashidhar, who is also enrolled in the university’s Honors College and is a Bonner Civic Scholar, was participating in a first-year seminar focused on the importance of civic engagement. She rallied several students from her seminar to participate in what was initially called the Food Insecurity Project. She also developed shopping lists and menus with a campus nutritionist's help and created a schedule of meals for the church.

From fresh salads and hearty pastas to the incorporation of lentils, beans, and other healthy plant-based proteins, Shashidhar and the other volunteers sought to create not just meals but memorable experiences for the guests of St. Paul's so they would feel welcomed into a community of friends. Over boiling pots and warm sheet pans straight from the oven, the students came to understand the power of food to connect people and build community.

Groups of student volunteers prepare meals for guests of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

St. Paul's leadership and guests gratefully welcomed the changes, but as the semester ended, Shashidhar felt there was still more to be done.

“One of the messages emphasized in our seminar was to try to make whatever you do for the community sustainable, so I made that my goal," Shashidhar said.

Shashidhar reached out to Sharma, a junior studying biology who is also in the Honors College and a Bonner Civic Scholar. Together, they set about developing ways to ensure the long-term viability of the new program. Sharma welcomed the opportunity.

"Public service has always been important to me. When I came to Rutgers–Camden, the Bonner Civic Scholar program was the one thing I knew I wanted to do above all," Sharma said. "Giving back to others is how I find meaning in life, and this project has allowed me to see how I can include service in my life, even as I look forward to working in medicine someday.”

From developing sustainable food sources and establishing a more reliable stream of volunteers, Shashidhar and Sharma worked tirelessly over the past year to build a solid foundation to support Cooking for Camden well into the future.

The work they have done so far has not gone unnoticed. The two were recognized this past April with the university’s Kelly Francis Prize, given to students who exemplify the values of civic engagement and a commitment to the city of Camden. The group also recently received a $2,500 grant from ShopRite supermarkets, which they will use to stock up on staples for the church kitchen and food pantry.

“We hope to do more,” Shashidhar said. “I genuinely believe food can heal people and build community, and I’m grateful for the support of the Cooking for Camden team, the Honors College, and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.”

Rhea Sharma

Rhea Sharma and Prachi Shashidhar receive the Kelly Francis Prize at the 2024 DICE Awards.

Design: Karaamat Abudllah