MUSCATINE, Iowa–This summer, Muscatine Center for Social Action hosted its first, Fill the Gap Food Drive to help keep their food pantry full before larger drives like Freezin’ for Food top it off in the winter. MCSA intern Bailee Mergen, a sophomore at University of Wisconsin–Platteville majoring in civil engineering and minoring in social and environmental justice, organized the fundraiser after analyzing pantry data to determine when it receives the least amount of food. After holding the drive in late July and early August, Mergen felt pleased both with the amount of food raised and the opportunity she got to connect with the community. “It is very rewarding being able to help out in the community in any way I can, and I have enjoyed being able to meet with a lot of different people throughout the summer,” she shared.