The University of Findlay’s Helping Hands Food Drive will kick off its 21st year of addressing food insecurity in Hancock County with a family-friendly Community Movie Night on Wednesday, Oct. 7, featuring a special screening of “Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo!”
The event will serve as the official kickoff to the 5th Annual Hancock Area Schools Competition and the beginning of this year’s Helping Hands Food Drive campaign and its affiliated events.
The community movie night will take place on the UF Watterson Center Lawn, 301 Davis St., Findlay, with activities beginning at 6 p.m. and the movie scheduled for 7 p.m. Admission requires a non-perishable food donation benefiting CHOPIN Hall, and monetary donations also will be accepted. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or a blanket for seating during the movie. In the event of rain, the activities and the movie screening will be moved inside the Watterson Center.
The evening will feature a coloring contest, family-friendly games, popcorn, cotton candy, drinks and the outdoor movie screening. Some activities will require tickets, available for $1 each or six for $5.
Throughout the campaign, schools, student groups, businesses, and community members will have opportunities to participate, compete and contribute to the effort. Some key dates are as follows:
Can-struction Competition — Begins Oct. 29
Student groups will construct themed sculptures made entirely from canned goods. Entries will be judged on creativity and volume, with community members also having an opportunity to participate through community voting.
Hancock Schools Golden Can Competition — Ends Nov. 3
Area schools will compete to collect the most food based on pounds collected per student, allowing schools of different sizes to compete on an equal basis.
Official Collection Day — Nov. 4
The University of Findlay’s Watterson Center will serve as the central collection location from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Volunteers also will be stationed at collection points throughout Findlay from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., distributing shopping lists and collecting donations from community members.
Awards Ceremony — Nov. 5
The campaign will conclude with an awards ceremony at noon, recognizing top contributors, creative competition entries and community partners who helped make the drive possible.
Following Collection Day, all food collected will be inspected, sorted and delivered to CHOPIN Hall on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 5, courtesy of Garner Trucking.
The 2026 campaign follows a record-setting 20th year for Helping Hands. In 2025, the drive collected 458,171 pounds of food.
As the campaign enters its 21st year, community members are encouraged to take part by donating non-perishable food items, making monetary contributions, volunteering or participating in one of the many Helping Hands events.
About Helping Hands Food Drive
Founded in 2005 by the University of Findlay, the Helping Hands Food Drive has grown into a community tradition that brings together schools, businesses, University groups and individuals to help address food insecurity in Hancock County. Donations collected through the drive directly benefit CHOPIN Hall, a local nonprofit serving individuals and families in need.
For more information about the Helping Hands Food Drive, upcoming events, donation opportunities or volunteering, visit the Helping Hands Food Drive webpage.
