The CCAA Food Drive is back for the 12th consecutive year. Throughout California, the 12 state universities that comprise the CCAA conference will all participate in the annual food drive in February.
Implemented by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members and the student-athlete community on each campus, all the proceeds from the month's food drive will be donated to either a local food bank or on-campus food pantry.
"Food insecurity among college students is the dirty little secret folks don't often talk about," said CCAA Commissioner Mitch Cox. "The CCAA annual food drive serves an important role in helping to resupply on-campus food pantries or community food banks. It's a SAAC-inspired project and one we're very proud of."
The project, which began in 2011, was designed to raise awareness of the plight of those who face hunger and food insecurity in communities surrounding the conference's member institutions. Despite producing nearly half of the nation's fruits and vegetables, 1 in 8 Californians struggle with food insecurity,
according to the California Association of Food Banks. That equates to 4.6 million of our fellow Californians who do not know from where their next meal will come.
Last year, the event went virtual. Individuals were encouraged to make financial gifts to their campus food pantry or basic needs collections websites to make an impact in their communities when food insecurity continues to be of paramount concern, particularly during the COVID crisis.
Typically, CCAA SAAC does their part to make a difference in the communities in which they live, learn, play and serve each February. Cans and other non-perishable food items are collected and tallied, with donations distributed to a local food bank or on-campus food pantry. For the virtual iteration, each dollar of cash donations will count as two food items.
Throughout February 2020, CCAA member-institutions collected 15,771 food items. Chico State saw the largest total number with 5,393 items and a jump of 132 percent over their 2019 figure. The biggest percentage increase belonged to Cal State East Bay, leaping 156.6 percent with a total of 2,020 items. Other institutions that saw their numbers rise include Cal State Dominguez Hills, Humboldt State, and former CCAA member UC San Diego.
Along with the annual conference initiative to give back, supporting students' basic needs is a critical pillar of the
Cal State System's Graduation Initiative 2025, as well.
Check the list below to see how you can help support the CCAA Food Drive in your community or contribute to the cause through one of the campus food pantries.
Other links and
information for the Cal State System can be found here >>>