College Student Basic Needs Program
Executive Director
Wendy Gaynor
Wendy Gaynor is the inaugural Executive Director of College Student Basic Needs Program, effective January 1, 2024.
“Wendy is a seasoned professional with a broad background in food and housing insecurity with a passion for the programs CSBNP has already developed and plans to launch to support under-resourced college students,” said John Kepner, CSBNP’s Senior Project Advisor, who headed up the Search Committee, working with Dunleavy & Associates.
Wendy served most recently as Operations Manager for Orion Communities, a Phoenixville-based non-profit which addresses homelessness. Prior to that she was Director of Food Access and Community Education at the Chester County Food Bank and served as a Your Way Home Housing Locator and a Bridges out of Poverty Trainer for Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities. Her many activities include co-facilitating TriCounty Community Network’s Homeless Services Committee and serving as a Board member of Green Allies (Pottsgrove/Pottstown) which empowers youth to become environmental leaders.
“Wendy’s experience and long list of other volunteer activities and education and certification credentials make her ideal for the Executive Director position,” pointed out Nichole Kang, CSBNP’s Co-Project Coordinator and Director of Montgomery County Community College’s Wellness Center. Nichole served on the Search Committee and will be working closely with Wendy on CSBNP programs along with Betsy Stone Plummer, another Search Committee member, CSBNP Co-Project Coordinator and Director of Service & Catherine's Cupboard at Gwynedd Mercy University. Other members of the Search Committee were Kristyn DiDominick, Executive Director of Bucks-Mont Collaborative, and Holly Parker, Executive Director of TriCounty Community Network, which serves as fiscal intermediary for CSBNP.
“This is an exciting time for College Student Basic Needs Program,” added Betsy. “Wendy’s hiring gives us the support we need to scale our current programs to reach more students and realize our vision of expanding our program offerings across Montgomery County in collaboration with other colleges and food pantries.”
The College Student Basic Needs Program helps under-resourced college students experiencing food and housing insecurity and lacking other resources to meet basic needs to stay in school, succeed academically, graduate and obtain better paying employment. A significant portion of the students CSBNP assists are people of color and/or represent a diverse array of other demographic groups. Many commute to school and hold down low-paying jobs.
CSBNP is a seven member consortium which includes Montgomery County Community College, a 2-year college (MC3); Gwynedd Mercy University, a 4-year university (GMercyU); Manna on Main Street, a full-service food pantry in Lansdale, PA which delivers food remotely ordered on-line by students at the MC3’s Blue Bell and GMercyU’s Gwynedd Valley campuses; Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, which provides remotely ordered food for students at MC3’s Pottstown campus; Family Promise Montco, a provider of affordable housing and food pantry services; Montco Anti-Hunger Network, a network of Montgomery County food pantries; and Your Way Home Montgomery County, a public/private affordable housing organization.