Listen Here
By: Abigail Frye
Twitter: @Abigail_EF
Email: fryea@findlay.edu
The University of Findlay hosted its 13th annual Helping Hands food drive to gather items to give to CHOPIN Hall, otherwise known as Christians helping other people in need.
Overall, 111,436 pounds were collected, ultimately being equivalent to 55 pallets of food that filled three semi-trucks with non-perishable foods. These foods included canned fruit, peanut butter, soup, pasta with meat sauce and juice.
David Harr, the Director of Dining services, explained how important this food drive has been for UF since it started back in 2006 when they collected 994 pounds of goods.
“This was the first food drive we did and we wanted to see how we could help out the community around us,” said Harr.
CHOPIN Hall was the chosen drive to help with for a few reasons, one being their need for food donations at the time. Harr also mentioned that all the food collected for CHOPIN stays in Findlay and feeds those who need it most in the community. Anyone in the community can apply for this donated food, and once they are approved they can receive the help that they require.
Harr was happy to express that Findlay has been doing this every year since and they have continued to get bigger and bigger.
Helping Hands also has many volunteers, both individuals and groups, as Harr explained how much the 197 people had helped with this even by donating 589 hours of their time altogether.
“Habitat for Humanity has been here since day one, so they started back in 2006 with us,” said Harr. “They’ve been a very integral part in Henderson with sorting.”
Some organizations have continued to come every year, helping with the drive in any way that they can.
“As the years progress we have those organizations that come back each year and become regulars to fill in some of the holes,” stated Harr.
Along with UF organizations like Habitat for Humanity, many individuals have become involved as well. Harr explained that Henderson dining hall recruits volunteers by asking at the board of presidents every year and by sending out a campus-wide email.
With the levels of volunteers continuing to grow, the number of received food increases as well. Harr hopes that they can always gather more and more food to give to CHOPIN to continue the success UF has had with this food drive. Helping Hands is currently number one in the nation for college campuses, doubling all other numbers for this food drive.
Harr wants even more participation and donated goods for the coming years to provide for the community through CHOPIN Hall and to continue the record numbers that the University of Findlay has provided in the past.
