University Times

Pitt Scouts for Food drive scheduled for April 7-27

The annual Pitt Scouts for Food drive, which is part of the national Scouting for Food effort conducted by the Boy Scouts of America, will run April 7-27.

Again this year Chancellor Mark Nordenberg is serving as the regional general chairperson of the Scouting for Food Campaign in western Pennsylvania.

During last year's drive, Pitt staff, faculty and students collected an all-time high of more than 100,000 units of canned goods. The University ranked in the top 10 of the 400 companies, agencies, firms, labor unions and universities participating region ally. The goal for this year's campaign is 120,000 units of food.

All local donations are delivered to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in McKeesport, where they are distributed through a network of local food banks and pantries. All participants are volunteers, and all publicity, printing, packing boxes and bags are donated.

Items being sought during the food collection drive include canned goods, especially stews, tuna and meat; baby formula and food; packaged meals; cereals, and chunky-style soups. Household items such as paper products, soaps and cleaners also are needed.

According to organizers of the food drive, hunger is a serious local problem. Estimates are that 1 in 4 children in the City of Pittsburgh is hungry or in serious danger of being hungry; the statistics for the county are slightly better, with 1 in 7 child ren facing hunger regularly.

This year organizers of the Pitt Scouts for Food '99 drive have initiated some changes in the campaign to get more members of the University community involved:

* Oakland businesses that accept Pitt Funds from Pitt I.D.s are being asked to contribute cases of food to the effort.

* The University Police are conducting a special food collection effort at the Forbes Avenue and Sutherland Hall police sub-stations.

* Under the theme, U-PARC Scouts for Food '99, tenants of the University-owned U-PARC facility in Harmarville will be asked to participate in the food drive.

* A special effort involving Food Services and Sodexho Marriott is being coordinated with the Student Volunteer Outreach program to allow students to donate meals and dining dollars to the effort directly at the cash registers at C-side Towers Cafeteria a nd Eddies.

* All University staff and faculty who are involved in Scouting or are parents of Scouts are asked to contact the Pitt Scouts for Food '99 hotline at 383-1667. They will be asked to play a role in the campaign and the "thank you" reception in early June.

To join in the effort, employees and students should bring canned goods to collection sites around the University. There will be collection sites at many University departments. Some general collection sites include:

* All University Library System libraries, including Hillman Library, circulation desk.

* Biomedical Science Tower, entrance lobby.

* Cathedral of Learning, ground floor elevator lobby.

* Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering lobby.

* Craig Hall lobby.

* Forbes Quadrangle, Bouquet Street entrance lobby.

* Graduate School of Public Health, first floor lobby.

* Law School lobby.

* Scaife Hall, 2nd and 4th floor lobbies.

* School of Information Sciences Building, 5th floor lobby.

* William Pitt Union, Fifth Avenue lobby information desk.

For more information on the food drive, contact coordinator Steve Zupcic, at 383-1667.