Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrew Benning / Senior Staff From left, Elaina Von Qualen, a junior special education major, and Carmela Balice, a sophomore elementary education major, help to organize the food collected by the College of Education Thursday morning in DeGarmo Hall. [Click to enlarge]

The fifth floor of DeGarmo Hall is littered with bags, cans and boxes. It is not due to a lack of work on anyone's part, quite the opposite, in fact.

For the past three weeks, Registered Student Organizations and the College of Education have been collecting food for local food pantries, and to date they have raised more than 1,650 pounds.

Marilyn Moore, associate dean for the College of Education and Dean's representative for the College Registered Student Organizations, expects their total to top one ton by the end of the week.

"It is shocking the response we have seen for this food drive. It has almost filled the fifth floor," she said.

In total, Moore explained, about 15 or 16 organizations are participating in the food drive.

Each year these groups do some kind of event for American Education Week, which occurs next week. With hunger becoming a key concern due to the failing economy, the groups decided to collect food for local pantries.

"The groups used 'It's difficult for a child to learn if they are hungry' as their slogan for the drive. It is a good way for them to tie this to [American] Education Week," Moore said.

Mike Meece, administrator for the Midwest Food Bank, believes that with the economic situation as it is, this food drive could not come at a better time.

"The food pantries that we provide to have experienced more business recently. Their food levels are being depleted much faster than before. Some pantries that used to get food once a month have been coming in once or even twice a week," he said.

Meece feels that, like other hard times, the period of increased need will pass as long as groups like the campus RSOs continue the spirit of giving.

"In times of need Americans pull together to help their neighbors and this is one of those times," he said.

After three weeks the National Association for the Education of Young Children holds the lead, with 737 pounds of food collected. In second is the Student Education Association, followed by Students Serving Individuals with Disabilities and Golden Apple.

Students came up with creative methods to gather food from the community, Moore said.

"Some groups trick or treated for canned goods, others brought their mission to meetings and some left boxes out. We're coming into the home stretch. It will be exciting to see which group will win," she said.

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