The Community Food Bank of Arizona received a large supply of food and monetary donations thanks to the annual Stuff the CatTran event. The event, hosted by UA4Food, allows people to donate items in an attempt to fill a CatTran with donations and took place yesterday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m..
Christina Rocha, Stuff the CatTran event chair and accountant at the Arizona State Museum, said the donations came pretty steadily throughout the day. Cash donations and donations of nonperishable and canned food items were accepted. The CatTran was parked at the intersection of Cherry Avenue and University Boulevard so vehicles could easily pull up and drop off donations.
“The athletics director dropped off a whole bag of food,” Rocha said. “He walked it over himself, and the women’s basketball coach has stopped by and she donated some money into our bucket, so everyone seems to be wanting to donate lots of things and money.”
Rocha added that both the Dean of Students office and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences gave cash donations, and that every dollar donated will provide four meals for a family.
“Last year, I volunteered for a couple of hours, and I was so overwhelmed by all the help and all the donations, that I decided that this year, I would be chair,” Rocha said.
Sheila McGinnis, director of Outreach and Community Partnerships at the UA, said the ambassadors who placed the collection bins around campus at the beginning of March were UA staff and faculty members, but every year, students step up to volunteering and help with collection on the day of the event.
Amber Hodges, a senior studying special education and rehabilitation and a member of Gamma Beta Phi national honors society, said volunteering at the Stuff the CatTran event is a big deal for her group. She said Gamma Beta Phi specializes in community outreach, and the staff member that helps with the group was in charge of the event last year, so members were encouraged to participate. Many other Gamma Beta Phi members came out in support of the event.
Devin Newhouse, an undeclared freshman, said he saw flyers for the event around campus and wanted to help out in some way.
“I’ve been helping stack the CatTran, unloading the boxes, loading boxes, breaking down boxes and anything else they’ve needed help with,” Newhouse said.
Amy Jackson, a support staff member at Campus Health Service, said she has been volunteering for a couple of years after hearing about Stuff the CatTran through work emails.
“I love volunteering and helping the community, and this was a good opportunity to get out and be with the students and other people on campus besides just the department I work in,” Jackson said.
McGinnis said the food that has been collected will help the Community Food Bank of Arizona restock its shelves after the holiday season.
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