According to Anne Holcomb, executive director of Food for People, this food will be distributed between now and the New Year to low-income children, families, people with disabilities, and seniors in Humboldt County.
The HSU Service Learning Center coordinated the food drive. Mike Cipra, Community Partner Liaison for Service Learning, said active participation from President Richmond, HSU NORML, Associated Students, as well as the community of Arcata were key in making this the most prolific food drive in the history of HSU.
As part of an HSU Hunger Fighter Challenge, HSU President Rollin Richmond pledged to sit down to lunch with the student group or campus organization that raised the most food during the Holiday Food Drive. The winning group, with 1,396 pounds of food, was HSU NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), which will sit down to lunch with President Richmond on December 7.
"We hope that the community can accept us as being productive and caring, and not stereotypical apathetic pot heads," said Eric Leonhard, Founder of HSU NORML.
"It's important to remember that while weve achieved an impressive level of donation this year, we have by no means solved the issue of ensuring food security in our community," said Cipra. "A food drive is only the first step towards creating a just society, so that everyone has equal access to food."
For more information, please contact Mike Cipra at (707) 826-4963 or mcc21@humboldt.edu.