ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ Students Take a Bite Out of Hunger This Thanksgiving
- November 23, 2014
HAYWARD -- ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ students are helping to take a bite out of hunger this holiday season by donating "missed meals" -- meals they have already paid for through their campus meal plans, but won’t be on campus to enjoy.
Many residents in the Pioneer Heights student housing complex leave campus for the holidays, including the long Thanksgiving break, explained Martin Castillo, associate vice president for student affairs and director of university housing and dining services.
Beginning with this year's Thanksgiving holiday, the Residence Hall Association is partnering with Aramark Corp. to turn those missed meals into donations to the Alameda County Food Bank.
Students are being asked to donate their unused meals on the days they are away for the Thanksgiving break, typically Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Donated meals will be converted into a dollar amount, which will used to purchase non-perishable goods for the food bank.
"Although we just rolled out the program last week, students have already donated more than 1,900 meals," Castillo said. "This is a great way to help the community at zero cost to students."
Students will be asked to donate missed meals at the end of each quarter, and ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ intends for this to become an annual tradition.