November 4, 2009

Stuff the Bus Food Drive

MACOMB, IL -- Can we do it? Yes we can!

Do what? Collect 25,000 pounds (or more!) of food for the annual Helping Hands Across America Stuff the Bus event, which will take place Thursday, Nov. 12 at campuses across the country, including Western Illinois University. Sodexo, Western's food service provider, thinks the WIU and Macomb communities have what it takes to help smash the current world record of 396,832.07 pounds of food.

According to WIU's Sodexo Marketing Director Eva Galbraith, beginning at 8 a.m. Nov. 12, individuals can drop off nonperishable food items at Go West buses parked at the Sherman Hall Circle Drive, the Macomb Courthouse Square and the Macomb Wal-Mart. Student volunteers will also be stationed at the entrances of the Macomb Hy-Vee, County Market and Wal-Mart to accept donations.

Individuals can also purchase "Helping Hands Bags" at Wal-Mart and HyVee that already have items needed for the Thanksgiving baskets. Customers can simply pay for the bag and drop in the collection box at the store. "Helping Hands Bags" will be available prior to Nov. 12. The residence hall floors that collect the most food will win a pizza party for their entire floor. Students should bring their donations to the campus dining centers.

Sodexo will donate the food collected to the WIU Black Student Association for their annual Thanksgiving basket project in which 150 baskets are donated to area families in need, and to Western's Resident Assistants Council's for the annual Salvation Army Thanksgiving Dinner Nov. 19. Galbraith added that all remaining food will be given to Loaves and Fishes Etc. of Macomb. Last year, Western collected 15,176 pounds of food.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to give back to our community, especially during these rough economic times when more individuals than ever are in need of assistance," Galbraith said. "Collecting all of this food will require a lot of hands, so besides asking our communities to come together to donate 25,000 pounds of food, we also need volunteers to help sort and count the donated items."

The 2009 Helping Hands Across America Stuff the Bus event is sponsored by Go West Transit System, University Housing and Dining Services, Sodexo, Inter-Hall Council, Student Government Association, WIU Athletics, the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center, Inter-Fraternity Council, WIU Civil Service Employees, WIU Veterans Club and the Office of Student Activities.

For information on the WIU 2009 initiative or to volunteer, contact Galbraith at eva.galbraith@sodexo.com or (309) 298-1982.

Copy By: Darcie Shinberger, University Relations
Phone: (309) 298-1993 * Fax: (309) 298-1606