August 29, 2025
Lake-Sumter State College Opens Lakehawks’ Harvest Student Food Pantry
By Kyle Coppola
Lake-Sumter State College Opens Lakehawks’ Harvest Student Food Pantry
Lake-Sumter State College has launched the Lakehawks’ Harvest Food Pantry, a 1,200-square-foot store designed to address food insecurity among students while supporting their academic success and overall well-being.
The name Lakehawks’ Harvest was suggested and voted by students earlier this year.
(The District Board of Trustees at the Ribbon Cutting for the Lakehawks’ Harvest Food Pantry. From left to right, Bret Jones, Dr. Laura Byrd, Steve Munz, Ivy Parks, Samantha Scott, Roger Croft.)
Recent national research indicates that food insecurity affects as much as 40 percent of students at community colleges.
“College is not just about academics, it’s about creating an environment where students feel supported and can be successful,” says Dr. Laura Byrd, Interim President of LSSC. “This pantry is a tangible investment in our students’ well-being and success. By removing barriers like hunger, we are giving students the opportunity to focus more fully on their studies and their futures.”
Research consistently demonstrates that food-insecure college students experience compromised academic performance, including lower GPAs, higher dropout rates, and increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The Lakehawks’ Harvest Food Pantry directly addresses these challenges by ensuring students have reliable access to nutritious meals.
(Dr. Laura Byrd speaks before the ribbons were cut at the Lakehawks’ Harvest Food Pantry.)
Lakehawks’ Harvest will be open two days a week and will be stocked with perishable and non-perishable food items, as well as toiletries and other household supplies. Any enrolled student can visit each day for up to 8 items at no cost.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the student pantry officially opened its doors, welcoming 73 students and distributing nearly 670 pounds of food on its first day.
(Students inspecting the new food pantry which opened at Lake-Sumter State College.)
The food pantry will be operated by the College’s Student Affairs staff with the support of student employees. Food for the pantry is purchased or provided through Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Lake Cares.
“Collaboration strengthens our success,” added Byrd. “Together with our donors and partners, we are helping build a stronger, healthier future for our students.”
(Members of the LSSC Foundation Board of Directors at the Ribbon Cutting for the Lakehawks’ Harvest Food Pantry. From left to right, Ana Germeroth, Dr. Laura Byrd, Alise Morris, Josh Gonzales, Bret Jones, Carl Specci, and Leslie Rotarius.)
Among the donors who support the food pantry are LSSC employees. In 2025, employees donated over $65,000 to the LSSC Foundation; many of these gifts were designated for food insecurity.
“Opening Lakehawks’ Harvest marks a significant milestone,” says Dr. Joseph Mews, Vice President of Enrollment & Student Affairs. “I’m deeply grateful to our Student Wellness team, the LSSC Foundation, Lake Cares, Second Harvest Food Bank, and all of our community partners whose collaboration and compassion made this initiative possible.”
The Lakehawks’ Harvest Food Pantry is located in the Student Center on the Leesburg Campus.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
