University Times

The University’s annual food drive kicks off April 1 and will run through April 30.

Donors to the Pitt Partnership for Food can bring food items to campus or shop online through Pitt’s virtual food drive. In addition, students can donate unused Dining Dollars at the end of the term. The Chancellor’s Challenge will match the total number of food units collected University-wide, doubling donations, including those made online.

Tami Hirth of Community Relations said donations through the virtual drive are especially encouraged. Among the advantages, donors can avoid having to carry items to campus, they receive a receipt for tax purposes and their dollars go farther because the food bank can purchase items at a discount through its suppliers.

At www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/pitt, shoppers can choose the items they’d like to donate — from juice and peanut butter to toilet paper and diapers — or designate their donation to go toward the food bank’s most-needed groceries.

Online donors also will be able to direct their donation to a food distribution center near their campus. For Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville, donations go to Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest PA; for Pitt-Greensburg, donations are directed to the Westmoreland County Food Bank, and for Pitt-Johnstown, donations go to the organization Food for Families.

Pittsburgh campus donations can be earmarked for the Oakland Food Pantry (via the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank). Pitt volunteers have helped to establish the Oakland Food Pantry, which in January provided produce and other perishables as well as canned food and other supplies to more than 600 individuals.

Among the goals of the Pitt Partnership for Food drive is to help restock the Oakland Food Pantry for the year, said Kannu Sahni, Pitt’s Community Relations director.

Food drop-off locations on the Pittsburgh campus are:

• Cathedral of Learning ground floor.
• William Pitt Union main floor.
• Posvar Hall at the main floor elevators.
• Scaife Hall 4th floor Terrace Street entrance.
• Craig Hall main lobby.
• Hillman Library ground floor lobby.
• Petersen Events Center 2nd floor mezzanine.
• Public Safety Building Fifth Avenue lobby.
• Alumni Hall main lobby Lytton Avenue entrance.

For food pickup or questions, contact Hirth at 4-7708 or hirth@pitt.edu.

—Kimberly K. Barlow