Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) and the University Student Union (USU) have come together to host their first annual Warrior Food Drive which will be running through Dec. 12.

As part of their efforts, ASI and USU are asking students, faculty, and staff to donate non-perishable food items as well as hygiene products and toiletries.

They will be needing items such as cereal, oatmeal, pasta and sauces, canned soup, fruits and vegetables, condiments, peanut butter and other various healthy snacks.

Katie Rotan, ASI Interim Leadership and Student Government Manager, explains the importance of the food drive.

“Basically we are trying to keep the Warrior Food Pantry stocked with non-perishable, nutritious, and sustainable items. For the pantry, we received a donation from the California Faculty Association (CFA) at Stanislaus State,” Rotan said.

Bergen Proefrock (freshman, Computer Science) believes food drives are important for the homeless and those whom are food insecure because “they provide a source of food for those that can’t afford it.”

Monika Heikkila (senior, Communication Studies) states her view on the importance of running food drives.

“Food drives are important because we have an immense surplus of food we waste or throw away everyday. Food drives give people an opportunity to donate the food they would otherwise waste. There should not be a single hungry stomach in this country due to how much food we produce and throw away,” Heikkila said.

Some Stan State students are actually not aware of the food pantry that is located in the Student Union.

Over the last year, the Warrior Food Pantry has been working hard to address the food insecurity issue on Stan State’s campus by providing a convenient way for students to gain access to food and other necessities. 

Declan Silveira, ASI Student Resource Assistant, explains why food drives are especially important during the holiday times.

“Doing a food and toiletry drive around the holidays is important for our campus community as a whole,” Silveira said.

“Most people see the holidays as a time of giving, meaning they are more likely to donate to food drives. This increase in likelihood of donations helps to bring in more items for the students in need. Not only does the time of year help to increase amount of donations, but it helps to create a positive energy on our campus,” Silveira said.

“Unfortunately, the closer we get to the holiday season, the closer we get to finals. Doing the food drive at this time helps to serve as a reminder to students the importance of healthy eating during this stressful time, while also serving as a reminder to the students in need that there is a resource on campus for them,” Silveira said.

You can help contribute to ASI and USU’s efforts to alleviate food insecurity on campus by donating. Simply look for a food drive donation bin, which is located in various buildings around campus.

Drop off locations include: MSR, Bizzini, DBH, USU, Main Dining, Naraghi, Science, Theatre and Housing.

The Signal office located within Demograsso-Bava Hall will also be accepting items for the food drive.

Learn more about the Warrior Food Pantry, which is located in the University Student Union in the Warrior Activities Center. They are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Fall and Spring. 

For more information, contact Katie Rotan at [email protected] or call 209-664-6517.