EEE students, with the help of Professor Lindsey Payne, found themselves featured on the "Hunger Beet," Food Finders Food Bank's email newsletter. The grateful local non-profit wrote:

 

On a rainy day in April, a group of Purdue University students enrolled in Environmental & Ecological Engineering Community-Engaged Engineering Design course braved the weather to construct a bioswale in Food Finders’ parking lot. Under the guidance of Dr. Lindsey Payne, students and volunteers helped transform channels in the parking lot to slow, collect, and filter rainwater, allowing it to infiltrate into the ground instead of flowing directly into storm drains or waterways.

 

Partnering with organizations like the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation (WREC), this group’s project engages in community-based design projects aimed at tackling stormwater management issues, ultimately contributing to the preservation of the Wabash River's ecosystem.

 

Food Finders’ Director of Volunteer Engagement and Programs, Blair DeLong worked alongside the group, sharing, “We want to thank the students and volunteers for their invaluable assistance and support in revitalizing the rain gardens and bioswale at the Food Finders’ Katy Bunder Food Resource & Education Center. Their expertise and dedication have been instrumental in helping us implement a sustainable stormwater management solution that will benefit our community for years to come.”