Food and Funds Help More Than 300 Families

UMass Lowell Image food drive by Tory Germann
Students collected, assembled and distributed donations from the University's fifth annual food drive. Photo by Tory Germann.

01/29/2014
By Julia Gavin
Video by Alfonso Velasquez

During the fifth annual campus food drive, students, staff and faculty helped 300 local families have a happy Thanksgiving in partnership with the Merrimack Valley Catholic Charities food pantry in Lowell.

Students from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Student Activities and Leadership, Campus Ministry and Religious Organizations and Greek organizations collected food throughout November and then assembled meal bags for the families. Each package included potatoes, gravy, green beans, rice, beans, corn, a $10 Hannaford’s gift card and an apple pie. Students also wrote cards for the families to send their best wishes during the holiday season.

The University community also raised money online during the drive. Part of the $3,500 raised was used to purchase some items for the families’ packages. Extra food and financial donations were given to the pantry in support of their work in the community.

Thanksgiving food drive