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June 10, 2010

Pitt’s food drive is third largest in area

Pitt’s recently completed Partnership for Food drive collected 523,942 units of food to benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. That total includes donations from all sources including the virtual food drive, Sodexo, departmental and student food drives, as well as the Chancellor’s Challenge, which through the Chancellor’s office matched the value of all donations.

According to Steve Zupcic of Community Relations, who coordinates the food drive, Pitt’s effort finished third regionally in number of donated units behind UPMC and U.S. Steel.

“While most of us as individuals contribute a modest amount of money or food, in the end it really adds up,” Zupcic said. “Even more importantly, the food drive increases political and social awareness about this devastating problem in our region — to the extent that even some of our fellow employees are in need of food from the Food Bank.”

Zupcic added that while the food drive is over, donations to the Food Bank still will be accepted via the virtual online shopping link: www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/pitt.

Donations to the Food Bank also may be made by check to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, 1 North Linden, Duquesne 15110.

Volunteers also are needed for food repackaging and distribution tasks at the Food Bank’s Duquesne site. For more information on volunteering, contact Zupcic at 412/624-7709 or stz@pitt.edu.

According to Food Bank data, each month more than 120,000 individuals receive supplemental groceries from the Food Bank, including 37,000 children, 16,000 people over 65, 17,000 laid-off or disabled individuals and 35,000 from households with wage-earners who still aren’t making ends meet.

—Peter Hart


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