Stanislaus State’s United Sorority and Fraternity council will hold its final canned food drive on Warrior Wednesday on Nov. 9. All donations and proceeds will go towards the Turlock Gospel Mission. 

Event coordinator, Camrynn Loveall (senior, Exercise Science) said students can drop off any non-perishable canned and unexpired goods in the quad at the USFC booth or at the Student Leadership and Development office. Donations will help feed the homeless and allow students to put their time toward community service. 

The Turlock Gospel Mission is a non-profit organization that helps those in need by providing them with three meals a day, clothing, a place to shower and take shelter in, as well as a safe place to pray.

“Turlock Gospel Mission specifically goes for youth homelessness,” explained Loveall. “So right before Thanksgiving, we thought giving canned food would be the best way to give back.”

With the holidays approaching, some students are slowly starting to look into some of the community events on campus and the importance of giving back to those in need. 

Stan State student, Monica Anderson (junior, Sociology) emphasizes that it’s important to give back to the community.  

“The environment you create is a key role in your success and the success of others,” she said. “If we give back to our community, we are creating an environment we can all thrive in.” 

Unfortunately, there are not as many donations as the USFC expected. After two years of virtual courses and events, organizations are having trouble navigating their new way of life on campus as they adjust to being back in person. 

Julie Anaya, coordinator for student organizations and fraternity/sorority life explains the hardships that Stan State organizations have had to go through. 

“It’s definitely been a struggle for our fraternity and sorority groups on campus just to be able to come back,” she said. “I think they’re still in this kind of repair mode from the pandemic and I think a lot of the student organizations are kind of trying to figure out what campus life looks like back in person.”

Anaya added that she thinks that organizations are still recovering from the pandemic and that can make event planning tricky. 

“It’s a big job and I think that’s part of what we sell in the fraternity/sorority world,” she said. “These positions are preparing you for the real world.” 

Sororities and Fraternities are a big part of the university lifestyle. Their philanthropies give students the opportunity to put their efforts into something that gives back to the community while learning important skills that will benefit them outside of Stan State. 

“Fraternity/Sorority life is more than what people think it is,” Anaya said, “It’s a chance to build your professional resume and also have a good time…You can be a t-shirt wearer. You can join an organization just for the letters, but that’s not the member that these organizations are looking for…Their goals are to build their foundations and organizations and then give back to their community.”  

Furthermore, if you would like to donate or pursue further volunteer opportunities, you can visit the USFC booth on Warrior Wednesday or directly contact the Turlock Gospel Mission for more information.