Trine University collecting food for U Can Crush Hunger

Trine University is collecting food through Nov. 7 for Community Harvest Food Bank’s 11th annual ‘U Can Crush Hunger’ campaign.

The campaign is a competitive food and fundraising drive between area schools that helps the organization provide meals to thousands of northeast Indiana families during the holidays while supporting food pantries on local college campuses for students struggling with food insecurity.

“We make this as fun and competitive as possible, but the ultimate goal is to support those around us who need help, especially as we head into the holiday season,” said Lydia Roop, assistant director of student engagement, leadership and service at Trine. “Every canned good or dollar donated brings a little bit more joy to someone who can use it.”

Food collection bins are located on Trine’s Angola campus in the Thunder Ice Arena, Steel Dynamics Inc. Center for Engineering and Computing, and Rick L. and Vicki L. James University Center, and on the second floor of Best Hall of Science.

Monetary donations also count toward the total, with every dollar donated toward the campaign providing four pounds of food.

Roop said Trine’s goal this year is to collect the equivalent of 25,000 pounds of food total.

To learn more and to donate, visit trine.edu/crush-hunger.

In addition to Trine, participating schools are Huntington University, Indiana Institute of Technology, Indiana University Fort Wayne, Ivy Tech Community College, Manchester University, Purdue University Fort Wayne and the University of Saint Francis.

The schools compete for a traveling trophy. Trine University won the competition in 2023.

Last year, the campaign raised nearly 125,000 pounds of food. Community Harvest Food Bank says its goal this year is to raise even more.

To learn more about Community Harvest Food Bank, visit communityharvest.org.