VCU news

By Brian McNeill

Virginia Commonwealth University will hold its sixth annual food drive benefiting the Central Virginia Food Bank from Tuesday, March 25, to Friday, March 28.

"The VCU Food Drive helps address the critical issue of hunger which involves people of all ages and stages in life, even students at VCU," said Cathy Howard, Ph.D., vice provost of community engagement at VCU. "Our new VCU Ram Pantry helps more than 100 students every week."

During the food drive, the VCU community is asked to contribute food items or monetary donations, which can be donated online at http://fooddriveonline.org/feedmore/ or in-person with a volunteer.

Drop-off boxes will be available Tuesday through Friday at the Monroe Park residence halls and at the MCV campus at Cabaniss Hall, the Main Hospital Café, the Larrick Student Center and the I Lot and A Lot, as well as at the West Broad Street Parking Deck, the West Cary Street Parking Deck, the D Deck, the N Deck and the 8th Street Deck.

From Tuesday through Thursday, volunteers will accept donations at the West Broad Street Parking Deck, 7:30-9 a.m.; at D Deck, 5:30-9 a.m.; at N Deck, 7:30-9 a.m.; and at the 8th Street Deck, 7:30-9 a.m.

Alternatively, participants may call (804) 827-1904 or email vcufooddrive@gmail.com to arrange a pickup.

VCU's food drive comes at a critical time for the food bank, as demand has increased sharply recently, said Jeff Baldwin, media and public relations manager for FeedMore, which operates the food bank and affiliated programs.

"Over the last six months, we have seen nearly a 20 percent increase in demand for food from our Central Virginia Food Bank, and we are providing, on average, 75,000 pounds of food a day to our partner agencies in the community," he said. "This food drive takes place during a critical time of year for FeedMore when donations tend to typically drop in the months between the holiday giving season and spring."

According to FeedMore, the most-needed items are peanut butter, canned tuna and chicken, canned green beans and corn, canned peaches, Hamburger Helper, mac and cheese, hot and cold cereal, and rice.

VCU's Division of Community Engagement and Business Services coordinate the efforts of several divisions that help organize the annual food drive, including the Division of Student Affairs, University Student Commons & Activities, Residential Life and Housing, Recreational Sports and Fraternity and Sorority Life.

"Whether learning about food insecurity in a service-learning course or volunteering at FeedMore's Community Kitchen, our students and staff realize and reaffirm the importance of community engagement to address this critical issue in the Richmond region," Howard said. "I am hopeful that the VCU community will join together to collect needed food items that will go to those most in need in our region."

This year's food drive coincides with Greek Week at VCU. As part of the drive, seven teams of fraternities and sororities will hold a "Canstruction" competition, in which they collect food donations and create structures out of them in Commons Plaza from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, March 24. A panel of judges will choose the best structure and will award points for the most food collected.