June 12, 2017

 MSU Billings students at the Salvation Army food van

 

Pictured here, from left, are Interim Associate Dean of Students Jeff Rosenberry, Assistant Director of Housing Aaron Like, Assistant Professor Melissa Boehm and Evan Boehm

MSUB collaborates with The Salvation Army to serve Billings

Weekly Night on the Van service project helps provide meals throughout the community.

 

Contacts:

Jeff Rosenberry, Interim Associate Dean of Students, 657-2376

University Relations, 657-2266

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — Rain, shine, or even in record breaking heat, every evening The Salvation Army loads two buses full of sacked meals to serve to kids, families and individuals within low income neighborhoods throughout the Billings community.

 

One of the non-profit’s long-time community partners is Montana State University Billings. Through the Office for Community Involvement, Night on the Van collaborates with The Salvation Army every Wednesday, from June through August, to provide enough volunteer help to pass out up to 400 meals.

 

Assistant Professor Dr. Melissa Boehm and husband Evan Boehm have volunteered with Night on the Van for three summers and are found chipping in nearly every week.

 

“It’s important work,” Boehm said. “I feel that for people who work at MSUB there is a responsibility to make the community better. This is a meaningful and powerful way to do that.”

 

Evan Boehm adds, “This is a very tangible way to serve the community.”

 

Interim Associate Dean of Students Jeff Rosenberry said the campus community robustly supports Night on the Van.

 

“We have four spots open every week and they are always filled,” Rosenberry said. “This is a great opportunity for MSUB to engage with the community and give back.”

 

It isn’t just in the summer that MSUB lends a hand with The Salvation Army’s nightly meal deliveries.

 

Rosenberry said during the academic year classes integrate it into service learning and other curricula.

 

“This really opens student’s eyes to issues within our community and shows how they can get involved and make a difference,” he said.

Salvation Army Finance Director and Human Resource Clerk Darlene Johnson appreciated partnerships like it has with MSUB.

 

“We work with many businesses and organizations within the area,” she said. “We couldn’t do our work without that support and the work of our volunteers.”

 

For more information or to sign up for a Night on the Van Shift click here.