​​​GREECE, N.Y. — ​Take what you need and give what you can. That’s the message on a new food box that's set up at the Bryant & Stratton campus in Greece.

Tracey Taylor and occupational therapy assistant students at Bryant & Stratton College opened the 'Blessings Box' earlier this year. It’s located at the front entrance of the college. If you need something you can help yourself. If you can leave something for someone else, go for it.

"It's available 24/7. Just this morning we had an anonymous donor come with a box of food that they set inside and we just took it all out and put it in there," said Tracey Taylor, OTA program director at Bryant & Stratton College.

The community outreach effort started in the garden. Occupational therapy assistant students are doing field work with developmentally and intellectually disabled adults. Food they grew and harvested this spring, summer and fall was shared in the Blessings Box. That feel good work is now happening year-round with nonperishable food donations throughout the winter. Bryant & Stratton says it's learning that goes way beyond the classroom. It’s life skills.

"Food insecurity became very heightened after COVID and it didn't go away. So, we want to make sure that the community that we are in is taken care of and that if there is something that they need than we can give back," said Taylor.

Bryant & Stratton is interested in working with churches or volunteer groups to ensure the Blessings Box is filled each week. To help, reach out to tmtaylor@bryantstratton.edu.

Bryant & Stratton has two campuses serving the Greater Rochester area. and offers many different academic programs at various degree types. Areas of study include business, technology, criminal justice studies, legal and human services, healthcare and hospitality.