“Do I pay my rent, get gas or buy groceries?”
This is a real scenario and a difficult choice many people in the community must make every day.
Food insecurity is on the rise across the U.S. In the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area, more than 12% of people do not know where their next meal will come from.
The med center has an opportunity to make an impact. UNMC and Nebraska Medicine are coming together for a campus-wide food drive March 4 through 29.
The goal is to collect more than 1,000 pounds of non-perishable food items, which is equivalent to approximately 1,000 cans. All items collected will be distributed to three local non-profit organizations:
- Food Bank for the Heartland
- Maverick Food Pantry (which supports UNMC students)
- Heart Ministry Center
Requested items include:
- Boxed meals such as mac and cheese or meal helpers
- Canned meat (chicken or tuna)
- Canned vegetables
- Cereal
- Fruit (cans or cups)
- Peanut butter
- Pasta (noodles, sauce and sides)
- Rice
- Soup (cans or packets)
- Beans (canned and dry)
- Toiletries
Beginning March 4, donations can be dropped off in the boxes or barrels located in the following areas:
- Bellevue Medical Center, main lobby
- Clarkson Café
- Durham Outpatient Center, Starbucks coffee shop
- East Campus Corporate Pavilion, level three lunchroom
- Engage Wellness
- Lauritzen Outpatient Center, main floor lobby
- Lot 50, level three skywalk entrance
- Nebraska Café
- Sorrell Center, level two skywalk entrance
- Village Pointe Health Center, 111 building
Other Nebraska Medicine and UNMC locations can coordinate donations with Allison Seibert, events coordinator, by email. See more information about the food drive on this flier.
This food drive is held in recognition of National Nutrition Month and supports the Nebraska Medicine and UNMC 2022-25 Community Health Improvement Plan, which includes nutrition, physical activity and weight as one of the four focus areas.
Volunteer with these organizations
There are several upcoming volunteer opportunities to support the organizations that will benefit from this food drive, as well as other local non-profits:
- Friday, March 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., serving lunch at The Stephen Center
- Tuesday, March 19, from 9:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., volunteering at Heart Ministry Center food pantry
- Thursday, March 21, 9:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., volunteering at Heart Ministry Center food pantry
- Monday, March 25, 1 to 3 p.m., volunteering at Food Bank for the Heartland