The Laurier Waterloo Food Bank (LWFB) will be hosting their twelfth annual Halloween for Hunger food drive on Oct. 28, 2017.
Every year for Halloween for Hunger, the LWFB sets out to collect donations of non-perishable food items and groceries for the food bank.
Anthony Tomizza, vice-president of programming and services for Wilfrid Laurier University’s Students’ Union, is hoping for a good turnout of volunteers and collections this year.
“The goal is to go out into the community and get canned foods and foods that we can use for our food bank system for students,” Tomizza said. “Essentially, instead of asking for candy at the doors they’re asking for food that students may have that’s leftover that they’re not using.”
Volunteers are divided into groups who then set out into the neighbourhoods surrounding the Laurier campus.
“We have a lot of teams that go out into most of the surrounding residential areas around the school, mostly to target students,” Tomizza said.
The LWFB provides a valuable service and support network that is geared towards providing basic nourishment for students when they are unable to do so themselves. It is a service run by students for students and is supported by students.
“Any students, if they have any extra food, are more than welcome to stop by the Students’ Union office.”
“It’s so important to be able to have the right kind of healthy lifestyle to get through the academic terms, which can be very stressful. We’re not only here for students that are in financial need but also to just accommodate to the business of the student schedule at Laurier,” Tomizza said.
“If that means helping them out when they’re super busy and can’t go for groceries then that’s what we’re aiming to do.”
“We would just love for students to continue to request parcels because that’s what we’re here for,” Tomizza continued.
The LWFB relies on donations and the Halloween for Hunger food drive is their largest donation event. Collections from this event will be enough to last for the rest of the academic year.
“It’s definitely been very successful at getting enough food to last [the] food bank for the rest of the year,” said Tomizza.
Students looking to donate their extra unwanted food are invited to do so.
“Any students, if they have any extra food, are more than welcome to stop by the Students’ Union office,” Tomizza said.
This year’s Halloween for Hunger food drive isn’t the only event. The LWFB also hosts free pancake Tuesdays which fall on the last Tuesday of every month and they run a farmer’s market which is held in the concourse every Wednesday.
“The goal is just to provide students with really awesome, cheap alternatives and quality food,” Tomizza said.
Those looking to volunteer in this year’s Halloween for Hunger food drive may do so by visiting the LWFB Facebook page to sign up. Anyone may register to be a gatherer or driver. Volunteers are invited to come in costume.
“We’re really excited to run the event again, we’re really looking forward to next Saturday and hoping we get a great turnout,” Tomizza said.