UF & Sodexo Fighting Hunger with Helping Hands Food Drive ’21

University of Findlay’s 16^th Annual Helping Hands Food Drive, organized by Sodexo, will take place Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Nonperishable foods, that haven’t passed their expiration dates, and monetary donations will be collected to benefit those who need them most. Donations will be collected on-campus at the Alumni Memorial Union through a “drive-up and drop-off” process from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Multiple off-site donation locations are also available including the Walmart on Trenton Ave., Walmart on Tiffin Ave., Kroger on Sixth St., and Brinkman’s Market on Sandusky St. between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Garner Trucking has generously agreed to transport the food from UF to CHOPIN Hall after students have inspected and sorted it.

The top-five requested items are:

• Peanut butter
• Canned soup
• Canned fruit
• Cereal
• Bottled juice

All donations go to CHOPIN Hall and will benefit families in Findlay and Hancock County. In 2020 alone, CHOPIN Hall provided 338,700 meals to those in need. Last year, the Helping Hands Food Drive far surpassed all goals and collected a record-breaking 165,735 pounds of food.

Along with donations, new this year to the Helping Hands Food Drive is a “can-struction” competition between student organizations. Students will compete by constructing a sculpture that best represents their organization. Can-struction will take place Oct. 29 through Nov. 2 and awards will be given for the most creative, most pounds of food used, and people’s choice.

Since the introduction of the food drive initiative to college campuses across the United States in 2006, UF has led the nation nearly every year with the most pounds collected and has donated 883,404 pounds of food to date. Students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University come together year after year to support this initiative through donations, helping at collection sites, and sorting donations.

For more information on the food drive and ways to give, visit the Helping Hands Food Drive page online, or contact Dining Services at ufdining@findlay.edu.