On Nov. 12, the University Dining Services took part in Sodexo’s nationwide food drive in an attempt to break the world record for most food gathered in a single day.
While this day was the only one that counts for the record, it was only a small part of the food drive competition going on between all the local colleges.
“I think it’s a great idea to get younger people involved in hunger awareness,” said Stacy Fowler- Johnston, development coordinator for the Eastern Michigan Food Bank. “It’s a big awareness thing.”
Students were able to use cash or their extra Mcard money to buy bulk food at the food area in the UCEN where it was to be bagged and donated to the cause. The bank provides food for 22 counties in Michigan through 400 agencies, such as soup kitchens, who fill out order forms to receive the food.
These agencies have been seeing anywhere from a 15- 40 percent increase in the people they provide for. “It is very economy driven,” said Fowler-Johnston. “A lot of people never thought they’d need this.”
The University has previously not won the competition because of the technicalities of not being able to accept cash donations.
Food court employees noticed an increased interest this year, especially because the cause and the cure are presented right there in the UCEN. “The surplus of money on the Mcards has made it easier to donate, too,” said Ronald Maxwell, dining services employee.
Maxwell also agreed that the drive could benefit from spreading around campus and setting up places to donate wherever food is sold. Having it include the University Pavilion, for example, could gain a lot of notoriety.
Junior clinical psychology major Melissa Leemhuis says that being able to donate with Mcard money is “convenient” especially because of the surplus of money on the Mcards. “Last year there was even more of a surplus,” Leemhuis said, “which they balanced out a little this year.”
When asked if she found she had a surplus on her Mcard, freshman accounting major Ariel Zilinski simply said, “Oh yeah.”
Both students agree that the food drive should have been better publicized and explained to achieve better results. “I knew it was going on, but I had no clue what I could do,” said Leemhuis
The idea of bulk food in general is also very popular among students living on campus.
The Eastern Michigan Food Bank also takes part in the Spirit Squad, a group that goes to schools every Friday morning. They will be doing a special television broadcast on Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving, at Kettering to acknowledge helpers and students who contributed to the food drive.
Kelly can be reached at bburge@umflint.edu.
Nationwide food drive on campus
Published: Monday, November 23, 2009
Updated: Monday, August 16, 2010 09:08
Be the first to comment on this article!