I want to thank all of those people who have volunteered to take part in Notre Dame's second annual Canned Food Drive this Saturday. I thank you for your support in advance because I appreciate the fact that you realize the importance of this effort. You realize how much of an impact this campus-wide collection has on those families genuinely lacking the necessities of life right here in Northern Indiana.
According to the Northern Indiana Food Bank Web site, more than 118,000 Indiana families live in poverty and are therefore at risk of hunger. Last year, in our first annual campus-wide Canned Food Drive, 6,500 pounds of food were collected for the Northern Indiana Food Bank, setting the first benchmark for the event. This year, with your help, we expect to surpass 10,000 pounds of food, a substantial contribution to the Northern Indiana Food Bank.
The Canned Food Drive will be taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside of Stepan Center this Saturday. Volunteers will work two-hour shifts in which they will drive out into the neighborhoods of the community to collect cans door-to-door. WVFI will be DJing the event as groups return to campus to drop off their collected food. At the conclusion of the Canned Food Drive, University President Emeritus Father Theodore Hesburgh will say a blessing over the collected food. Last year, I participated, and it was a very rewarding experience. The community appreciates our efforts to fight hunger in Northern Indiana, and if you come out on Saturday, you will see for yourself just how much two hours of your time can positively impact the lives of so many people. Thanks again to those who have already volunteered to come out Saturday. If you haven't signed up and are still interested, contact your dorm service commissioner as soon as possible or e-mail jcorker@nd.edu.
Michael SciortinojuniorKeenan HallApril 2
