photo by: Shelley Hanson

Students from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, learn an old method of printmaking during a class led by instructor Timothy Harriman at the Mother Jones House in Wheeling on Thursday. From left are Anthony Fuszara, Laine Masset, Lexie Philippone and Jeb Braunscheidel.

WHEELING – Students from Buffalo, New York, are learning about the city of Wheeling’s offerings and issues while on break from school.

This week, Grow Ohio Valley hosted Canisius College students who are participating in its Food Justice Immersion Program. The program has allowed them to work in Grow OV’s urban farm and orchard in East Wheeling, along with the Big Wheeling Creek Agrarian Farm as well, said Hannah Hedrick, education program manager at Grow OV.

The students also visited Madison Elementary School on Wheeling Island, where they helped conduct a cooking class.

The group of 15 is staying at Laughlin Memorial Chapel during their time in the city. The students’ majors include education, health sciences, journalism and more.

Jesse Brodka, a Canisius College graduate student studying special education, said he has participated in the program three other times since attending Canisius.

“We’re immersing ourselves into the community,” he said. “It’s a mix of hands-on activities and direct conversations and relationships with people in the community.”

Brodka said he’s learned a lot from Danny Swann, co-founder of Grow OV, and Kate Marshall, executive director of the Mother Jones House in East Wheeling. Brodka and his fellow students did some work and had some social time at the “MoJo” on Thursday since it was a rainy day.

Brodka said he also enjoys talking to and getting to know the city’s homeless population who stay overnight at the winter shelter.

“To get to know people who are experiencing homelessness I’ve found to be a really powerful experience,” he said.

“It’s become like another home here. I’ve come back a couple times outside of the trip. I love the House of Hagar – the fact that this community of people is so welcoming to any person, and I feel that welcome for myself,” Brodka added.

“I feel really welcomed when I come here. When I feel welcomed then I can feel a part of the community that welcomes anyone.”

Brodka advises local college students to “get to know your city.”

“That’s one of things that’s inspired me about Wheeling is that it inspires me to get back to Buffalo and get involved,” he said. “I can imagine being a college student in Wheeling that there’s a lot to do in terms of service work, in terms of getting to know people.”

Brodka said during past trips they have also visited the Catholic Charities 18th Street Center, not to cook or work, but to simply sit down and have a meal and conversation with the people in need there.

“I’m inspired by people’s stories of healing and recovery, and I’m touched when people share their stories of grief or trauma or struggles they’ve been through,” he said. “Those conversations change me, they inspire me. They help me to heal from my wounds from the past. I love Wheeling.”

Marshall said she hopes the students leave inspired to help and be a part of their own communities when they go home.

She noted many of the students have been able to watch the MoJo and Grow OV grow as well over the years.

“It’s great for them to see the work they are doing in a week has such impactful momentum to drive those projects further down the road into something bigger and greater, and connect that their service actually did something to help build up a community,” Marshall said.

Hedrick said the Food Justice Immersion program gives students firsthand look at issues in Appalachia such as food insecurity and also teaches them about policies related to SNAP, food stamps, homelessness and addiction.

“The program has existed in some form for almost 10 years and has hosted groups from across the country, such as Texas Tech, University of Notre Dame and Rutgers,” she said, adding Canisius College has partnered with Grow OV since 2018.