I want to thank all of those people who have volunteered to take part in Notre Dame's third-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. This means that you realize how much of an impact this collection has on those families genuinely lacking the necessities of life right here in northern Indiana. According to the Northern Indiana Food Bank website, over 118,000 Indiana families live in poverty and are therefore at risk of hunger. Last year, in our second-annual campus-wide Canned Food Drive, 7,500 pounds of food were collected, setting the benchmark for the event. This year, with your help, we expect to double our efforts and surpass 15,000 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 South Bend to collect cans door-to-door. WVFI will DJ the event as groups return to campus to drop off their collected food. At the conclusion of the Canned Food Drive, Former University President 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, and if you help us, you will see for yourself how much just two hours can positively impact the lives of so many people. There are so many issues and problems in the world we often do not know how we can contribute to make a difference. One way is to think globally and act locally by joining us Saturday. Thanks to those who have volunteered to come out. If you haven't signed up and are still interested, contact your dorm service commissioner as soon as possible or email Keri Mikuska at kmikuska@nd.edu. See you Saturday!
Stephen Murray
senior
off campus
March 26
