Help Stock the Campus Pantry During UA4Food
UA President Robert C. Robbins, center, with volunteers at the 2018 Stuff the Cat Tran event. (Photo courtesy of Christina Rocha)
UA President Robert C. Robbins collects a box of food during last year's Stuff the Cat Tran. (Photo courtesy of Christina Rocha)
Peanut butter, boxed cereal and granola bars are among the most-needed food items.
The next time you're at the grocery store, consider grabbing extra cereal, peanut butter or canned tomatoes. Then bring them to work for UA4Food, the University's annual food drive.
The drive, which began Monday and runs until April 3, will benefit the UA Campus Pantry and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. While the Campus Pantry benefited from the drive last year, this year will be the first that the food and money collected will be split between the two organizations, said Karla Bernal Morales, senior program coordinator with Government and Community Relations, which coordinates UA4Food.
"We want to start the process of eliminating food insecurity on our campus and in Tucson overall," Morales said.
The drive is run mostly by employees – known as UA4Food ambassadors – who manage collection efforts on behalf of their units.
Those who would rather donate online can give to the Campus Pantry via the UA Foundation website or to the Community Food Bank at its website. Every dollar donated can provide up to four meals, according to the Community Food Bank.
The most-needed food items include:
- Peanut butter.
- Boxed cereal.
- Granola bars.
- Canned tomato products.
- Canned meat, soups, vegetables and fruit.
- Rice and pasta.
- Bags of beans.
Since the campaign began in 2004, nearly 219,000 pounds of food and more than $385,000 in monetary donations have been collected. Last year's campaign brought in about 4,500 pounds of food and more than $19,000.
The campaign will culminate on April 3 with Stuff the Cat Tran, an annual donation collection event in which the campus community tries to fill a shuttle with food. The shuttle will be parked from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the UA Mall at the intersection of North Cherry Avenue and East University Boulevard, near the Main Library. Ambassadors will spend the day loading food from collection boxes onto the bus, as well as taking last-day donations.
Stuff the Cat Tran is organized by the Classified Staff Council, Parking & Transportation Services and Government and Community Relations. Christina Rocha, a senior accountant in the Office of Research, Discovery and Innovation and immediate past chair of the Classified Staff Council, has helped organize Stuff the Cat Tran since 2015, when she was chair of the council.
Volunteers are needed for Stuff the Cat Tran. Those interested in helping for part of the day are asked to contact Rocha at crocha@email.arizona.edu or 520-626-0180.
Anyone interested in serving as an ambassador should contact Morales at kmorales12@email.arizona.edu or 520-621-5522.