The University of Connecticut’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is allowing students to pay off their unpaid parking tickets by donating nonperishable goods on April 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Innovative Partnership Building parking lot.
USG is collaborating with UConn Parking Services and Dining on the pilot program, which as of now is a one day only event. All donated items will be sent to Husky Harvest, a set of food pantries on campus that are available to any student with a UConn ID.
Every item students donate has a financial equivalent. Pantry items, small snacks and microwave meals are worth $3, small hygiene products such as toothbrushes and soap are worth $5, high-value pantry items such as large snacks, cereal boxes and large hygiene projects, like body wash and shampoo, are worth $7.
Students can bring in unopened and unused goods that add up to the value of their parking ticket, including late fees and tickets on student fee bills.
“It is really up to students in the way that they want this to influence them in their lives, but it can really have a good impact full circle,” Venice Montanaro, the student services deputy director and incoming USG president, said.
Jibreel Akbar, the director of student services at USG, said food insecurity and parking tickets are reoccurring issues that students face, so he wanted to address them together.
Akbar began the process last semester by researching similar programs at other universities and reaching out to Parking Services and the food pantries at UConn.
Akbar said it was easier to coordinate than he initially anticipated.
“It was a super easy process where each department was willing to do this and help out students,” Akbar said.
Parking Services is one of the few university departments that operate for profit because of parking tickets, Akbar said, and that they were willing to take some of the loss to give back to students through this initiative.
“The food pantry is in great need and in USG we have always been really passionate about advocating for them,” Akbar said.
While it is a one-day event this semester, Akbar said USG is hopeful it could be expanded into a reoccurring program, especially during the holidays, where the food pantries are looking for additional donations.
Montanaro said when they announced the event last week, it was met with great support from the student body and other university departments.
“Getting to give back to students and anyone in need is a really big deal,” Montanaro said. “The support we have gotten is incredible.”
Any questions can be directed to studentservicesdeputy@usg.uconn.edu.