The annual Helping Hands Across America food drive visited The University of Tampa last Thursday to gather food supplies for the poor communities within the U.S.
UT Sodexo contact and Director of Marketing Wade Burghardt, said Sodexo clients across America joined to attempt a new record for the largest food drive by a non-charitable organization in a 24-hour period.
“Over 600 national accounts participated in this initiative,” Burghardt said.
UT students donated just over a ton of food supplies to the event.
Students could exchange one meal on their Spartan Cards to donate a can of food.
Their contributions were delivered to America’s Second Harvest organization in Tampa Bay.
Burghardt, referencing the Second Harvest study on hunger in America, said over 35 million individuals in the U.S. are at risk of hunger, almost a third of which are children.
“With the current economic situation, we know that the issue of food insecurity is a growing and deeply concerning issue,” he said. “I believe that every individual must do what they can to help those in need.”
Thorn Viryasiri, UT marketing MBA and marketing assistant for school dining services, expressed his gratitude to the Spartan community for supporting the initiative.
“Thank you, to all staff and students who brought in canned foods,” Viryasiri said, “including those who exchanged with their meal plans.”
Further participants in the food drive were representatives from Tampa Bay’s WMNF 88.5 non-commercial community radio station.
The station agreed to promote the initiative during airtime.
Local musician Troy Youngblood attended the event and supplied musical entertainment to participating students.
On the level of student engagement, he said: “I think it’s amazing to help each other out.”
The event was also sponsored by the Sodexo Foundation, the charitable arm of UT food supplier Sodexo Inc., in conjunction with the Feeding America charity network.