University Of Findlay Helping Hands Food Drive

(From the University of Findlay)

University of Findlay students, faculty, staff, and community members will come together to donate canned food and other non-perishable items for the 19th annual Helping Hands event on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Center for Student Life and College of Business (CBSL).

Throughout the day, volunteers will be collecting, inspecting, sorting, weighing, and packaging items for delivery. All items will go to Christians Helping Other People in Need (CHOPIN) Hall food pantry.

In addition to the on-campus collection, University of Findlay and Sodexo Food Services have partnered with Walmart (Tiffin and Trenton Ave.), Brinkman’s, Kroger (6th and Tiffin), and Great Scot (Broad Ave and West Main Cross). Off-campus locations will be collecting from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. All non-perishable food items will be accepted, but the top five most requested items include peanut butter, canned fruit, canned soup, bottled juice, and cereal.

University of Findlay student organizations will compete during the “CANstruction” competition earlier in the week, where they will collect donated canned items and construct game-themed structures. Winners will be announced for most creative, people’s choice, and most pounds.

Area schools will also compete to collect and donate the most pounds of food per person. Local middle school students are competing for a pizza party and the Golden Can Award.

In 2023, a total of 249,897 pounds of food​ was collected during the event. Two semi truckloads were needed to move the pallets of food that were collected and delivered to CHOPIN Hall food pantry. To date, more than 1.3 million pounds of food has been collected and donated by the University of Findlay and Sodexo.

The event will conclude in CBSL at Noon on Thursday, November 7, when awards will be handed out and the final total weight of food donations will be announced. For more information on the event, visit Helping Hands online.