Food Philanthropy: Southeast alumni give back by helping Knights at food market

April 24, 2026

Southeast High School alumni are providing nourishing encouragement for students five decades after earning their own black-and-gold diplomas.
 
Southeast graduates from 1976 and 1977 are serving as volunteers for the Southeast Food Market. They unpack food from pallets, arrange items on tables and help students collect needed household meals each month. They also offer reassuring smiles to current Knights who are supporting their families with food.
 
Julie Smith and Susan Dinsmore said they and other members of the group have enjoyed giving back to their alma mater. Smith graduated from Southeast in 1976 and Dinsmore appeared in her commencement ceremony one year later. They said the 90 minutes they spend together at the food market each month have become cherished moments for everyone.
 
“We’re all retired, so we have the time to do it, and we know it’s meaningful work,” Smith said. “We’re all graduates of Southeast, and we work hard and have fun together. We’re all driven by the mission.”
 
“Clearly, there’s a need for food bank services at Southeast,” Dinsmore said. “A lot of families are struggling, and we all need to help out in whatever way we can. This is just a very small thing we can do to help.”

 
Gretchen Baker said the alumni have made notable differences for the Southeast community. Baker is a school social worker who has organized food markets on campus for many years. She has been thrilled with the life-changing connections the veteran Knights have made with high schoolers.
 
“They are invested in our community and our kids,” Baker said. “So, they are very respectful of our students but also are not afraid to interact with them as they fill their bags of food.”
 
The food market is the result of a partnership between Southeast and Food Bank of Lincoln, which is a member of the national Feeding America organization. Southeast alum Doug Ganz served as a board member on the Food Bank of Lincoln Foundation, and he was approached one day by Food Bank of Lincoln representative John Mabry. Ganz spoke about his desire to give back to his alma mater, and they came up with a plan to launch the food market at Southeast.
 
Each year, Food Bank of Lincoln distributes approximately 10 million meals to people struggling with food insecurity in 16 Nebraska counties. Feeding America estimated that approximately 32,000 Lancaster County residents face food insecurity.
 
Food Bank of Lincoln employees transport multiple pallets to Southeast for the monthly food markets. They then hand over the reins to the alumni, who empty the contents of each container with enthusiasm. They bring fresh supplies of fruits and vegetables, packages of pasta and mashed potatoes and dozens of cereal boxes to tables set up in the lower commons.
 
Students can obtain food at no cost during the events, and there is no application or pre-approval process. They simply show up, sign in and pick up fresh produce, bakery items and non-perishable food.

 
John Ritze and Rose Haberlan said they have enjoyed bridging the generational gap with food market visitors. Many alumni have volunteered at Southeast for three years, which has helped them form bonds with students who regularly come to the lower commons area.
 
“It’s pretty consistent who shows up, so when the kids come, they’re able to recognize us,” Ritze said. “I think the students who do come feel comfortable talking with us.”
 
“We’ll tell them that, no, you can take two cans. You don’t have to limit it to one,” Haberlan said. “We’ll tell them that somebody will eat it at your house.”
 
Smith and Dinsmore said it has also given the group a chance to maintain longtime friendships. Many volunteers have known each other for more than 60 years. They shared updates about their families, talked about community news and traded heartfelt laughs as they organized food one afternoon.
 
“I love the camaraderie and the fellowship,” Dinsmore said. “It’s fun to see my old buddies from high school and be able to work with them. They’re just a fun group.”
 
“We all graduated in the 1970s, and we’ve been friends ever since,” Smith said. “Some of us have been friends since kindergarten.”

 

One of the group’s top goals is to meet even more students. The final food market of the school year will run from 2:45-3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13. There will be a summer break before the food market events resume in September.
 
“We’re always wanting to get more kids in here,” Smith said. “We normally get about 125, and there are hundreds who could use the food.”
 
“We’d like to double our numbers if we could,” Haberlan said. “That would be nice. We just need to get the word out that this is available.”
 
All the Southeast alumni said they would like to continue volunteering for as long as they can. Smith said she hoped similar food markets could provide nourishing encouragement for students at other Lincoln Public Schools buildings.
 
“I feel like every school should be able to come up with a group of alums who are passionate about their school and helping the families that are there,” Smith said.
 
Want to be a difference maker like these Southeast alums? Discover how to become a Lincoln Public Schools volunteer. 
 
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