Students going to dinner at Putnam Dining hall donate flex passes to raise money for hurricane relief efforts on October 24, 2018. Proceeds will go to aid for those affected by hurricanes Florence and Michael. (by Judah Shingleton/The Daily Campus)
Wednesday night’s Give a Meal program saw a donation of $8,360, the highest the event has raised since fall 2015, according to dining services director Dennis Pierce.
The event raised $9,787.50 in fall 2015. Spring 2018’s Give a Meal event raised $6,500, which was a drop from spring 2017’s donations, which raised $8,292.5.
The money raised during the event will benefit those recently affected by Hurricanes Florence and Michael.
Students who donated said it was simple to participate and help those who are in need.
“I wasn’t going to use them [the flex passes] all anyway. I thought it was a good cause,” said Matt Kozon, a first-semester accounting major. “It was really easy to do on my part, anyway.”
Andrew Bauer, a first-semester mechanical engineering major, said it is vital to support other people in times of need.
“It’s important to donate because we’re all good people needing to help good people,” Bauer said.
Abby Sullivan, a first-semester business major, said her surplus of flex passes allows her to help those who are in need.
“I know I won’t use all of mine up, so it’s definitely worth it to donate one,” Sullivan said.
Pierce said dining services is working with Community Outreach to get in contact with the American Red Cross. The money generated from last night’s event will go directly to that organization for those still rebuilding in southern states affected by the 2018 hurricane season.
In spring 2018, donations from the event were split equally between Mansfield Food Pantry, No Freeze Shelter in Willimantic and the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic. Donations also benefited Community Outreach’s alternative break trips.
Pierce said the team that put together the event is grateful for student involvement in raising the money.
“Dining would like to thank all who donated and to those from students from Community Outreach that donated their time to encourage students to participate for this great cause,” Pierce said.
Taylor Harton is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. They can be reached via email at taylor.harton@uconn.edu.