Member Institutions Participate in Can Hunger Food Drive
Donnie Smith
LAKELAND, Fla.—Nine Sun Conference member schools recently held campus food drives to help their local communities just before the Thanksgiving holiday.
The “Can Hunger Food Drive” was coordinated by the Champions of Character committee, chaired by USCB’s Genia Montford.
With every member institution affected in some way by Hurricane Irma in September, and many communities still rebuilding an in need themselves, many student-athletes and campus groups worked together to help those in need.
A total of 2,930 items, mostly non-perishable foods, were donated to different charitable outreaches.
“Over the last several weeks, our Conference teams have been competing in our fall conference and NAIA
Championships; nevertheless, they took the time from their busy sport and final exam preparations to give back to their communities in a significant way,” said Sun Conference Commissioner Mark Pope. “I am extraordinarily proud of the student-athletes, coaches and athletic directors who contributed to make others’ holiday seasons that much brighter. What a great Champions of Character moment!”
Johnson and Wales teamed up with its Sports Marketing and Entertainment class and collected 1,850 food, paper and hygiene products, donated to Global Empowerment Mission.
USCB collected 340 items for Bluffton Self-Help. Thomas University donated 170 items to the Thomas County Food Bank. Night Hawk athletics worked with the campus activities board to collect the items.
At St. Thomas, 100 items were collected and distributed by student-athletes at Glades Middle School.
Ave Maria has collected 78 items to date for Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, and will continue its drive until December.
Webber International donated three boxes to the Red Cross of Polk County, and SCAD-Savannah donated 50 items to Second Harvest Food Bank.
During its November home athletic contests, Southeastern collected 150 food items for Kids Pack. Keiser donated 120 items to the Palm Beach County Food Bank.
