Members of SAAC helped gather all the food donations and deliver to the Food Pantry.
Members of SAAC helped gather all the food donations and deliver to the Food Pantry.

UDC SAAC Donates 375 Non-Perishable Food Items to UDC Food Pantry

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WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, headed by president Tyler Mace, donated 375 non-perishable food items to the UDC Food Pantry in Building 44, Friday, November 30th.

Mace, with the help of all the SAAC representatives and UDC coaching staffs, encouraged all student-athletes to donate canned food or non-perishable food items and store in their respective coaches' offices throughout the month of November. This fueled a competition among the Firebird sports teams, with the Women's Cross Country and Track & Field teams coming out on top with 193 food items raised.

"Tyler did a fantastic job implementing this fundraiser, and the entire SAAC took the reins and rallied their teams to get out and do some shopping and donate to this great cause," SAAC Advisor Eric Zedalis said. "I'd also like to thank Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Cassandra Haase, who brought the need for supplies in the UDC Food Pantry to our attention and gave us the idea for this fundraiser in the first place."

Haase's women's lacrosse squad was 3rd in the competition with 63 food items, not far behind 2nd place Women's Basketball with 87. Men's Lacrosse pitched in 23 and Men's Soccer added nine cans to the total.

UDC has weekly fresh produce pantry sessions for all enrolled UDC students in the community college, main campus and the law school, every Thursday from 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. on the main campus in the CAUSES Kitchen, Building 44, Room 307B. In addition to weekly pantry services, non-perishable items are available 24 hours, seven days a week in the UDC Pantry Cabinets located in Building 44 on the 1st floor next to the elevators.

The mission of the UDC Food Pantry is to lead the fight on campus against student food insecurities, link students to additional resources (internal and external), empower students to make choices, and help remove barriers to retention.

"I couldn't think of a better way to give back to our very own campus community," Zedalis said. "With academic Finals right around the corner and the winter holidays following soon thereafter, this was a great time to fill up those pantry cabinets and ensure that those who need it have access to food."  

For more information on the UDC Food Pantry, including how to get involved, visit here.