Each year, Sodexho establishments all over the nation nominate someone who they feel has displayed great efforts in dedication, creativity, leadership, and service to the community for the Sodexho Heroes of Everyday Life Award. The recipient is given $5,000, which is then donated to the charities of the his or her choice. This year, out of more than 220,000 Sodexho employees, RPI’s Patty Stargensky has been chosen to receive this award, along with seven others across the nation.
Stargensky is known in the Commons dining hall for answering comment cards. To her fellow employees, she is known for her enthusiasm for helping the hungry. “It is a passion for me to feed the hungry. It’s not something I have to do, it’s something I choose to do,” says Stargensky.
Upon her arrival in 1999, Stargensky introduced the CROP WALK to the RPI dining hall staff. The CROP WALK is a nationally sponsored event that raises money to donate to local and global food pantries. Sodexho itself donates $500 and beverages each year to the event, while thousands of dollars are raised through Stargensky’s own efforts. “She can squeeze you pretty good,” adds John Fusco, the general manager on campus who nominated Stargensky for the award.
Over the past five years, she has raised over $15,000 for the CROP WALK. While most of the money is donated globally, a portion of it stays behind and is donated to local shelters. According to Stargensky, “If a portion for the community didn’t stay here, I’m not sure I would do it.”
Stargensky has also been known to do much more for the community. It was her idea of donating $2 for every customer service survey that resulted in a tripling of responses. Prior to her suggestion, student participation was fairly low, despite the fact that free bagels were offered to those who participated along with other rewards.
Stargensky is also the director for the annual Gingerbread House Holiday Competition. Every year, around the holidays, students compete in building gingerbread houses. These houses are then set on display in Commons and voted on by the student body. Votes are placed by putting money in a can, and the gingerbread house that has the most money wins. This year, $466 was raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation by about 20 participating teams of students.
Each year, before the holidays, Sodexho raises money and collects food to donate to local food pantries. Stargensky is the leader and task master for this program, managing the collection of over 150 pounds of food and $50.00 in this past year.
Stargensky begins a five-year term in June on the Board of Directors at St. Joseph’s House, a homeless shelter on Ferry Street. Prior to her nomination, she was recognized by the shelter for her active participation in various events such as the Cook-A-Thon. Developed by Stargensky in conjunction with other students, The Cook-A-Thon, is a Sodexho hosted event in which students are taught how to cook a gourmet meal for a $6 fee. The meal is then served to over 40 homeless people. “Everybody wins. The students learn how to cook, they do community service, and, of course, the people get a meal,” says Stargensky.
Stargensky is a strong proponent for furthering the education of today’s younger generation. She participates in the School-To-Employment Partnership at Troy High School. The STEP program tries to prepare students who may not finish high school for the real world. To Stargensky, furthering one’s education is the way to solve the hunger problem. “Education is the key ingredient to a better tomorrow,” she adds.
In STEP Stargensky teaches “Introduction to Employment Services,” a class that shows students how to fill out applications, how to dress for an interview, who to use for references, and about other important aspects of the job search. Oftentimes, Stargensky recruits these people as dining hall staff.
With her $5,000, Stargensky plans to give $2,000 to the Salvation Army Troy Soup Kitchen to help compensate for the funding cut they have recently covered. “When I found out that I won the award, it was great to be able to do that,” Stargensky said. She also plans of giving $1,000 each to the Unity House Emergency Baby Food Drive, Joseph’s House Shelter Kitchen, and the Waterford Youth Council. Fusco said, “We try to be good neighbors. We want to give back to the community.”
