Campus food drive kicks off today

Top that! In case you missed it yesterday, you’ve been challenged. The crew up here in public relations has set a goal to collect 12 bags of food during this year’s food drive and we challenge the rest of the campus to top our total. If your department fills more than 12 paper bags, send an e-mail to today@unmc.edu with your department’s donation total and we’ll mention it in UNMC Today.

Starting today, UNMC, The Nebraska Medical Center, UNMC Physicians, Clarkson College and Private Practice Associates have an opportunity to break the record they set during last year’s drive to collect food and household items for the Omaha Food Bank.

Last year, the campus community collected about 11 tons of food during its inaugural food drive — a single-drive record for the Omaha Food Bank.

This year’s drive starts today and runs through Nov. 18.

Blue barrels will be placed around campus for food and household items to be dropped off. Departments also may fill up bags or boxes that can be taken to a drop-off location once full. (View a complete list of campus food drop-off sites.)

Some of the items the food bank needs are:

• Canned meats such as tuna, chicken or ham;
  
• Canned pasta;
  
• Canned, evaporated or powered milk;
  
• Canned fruits and vegetables;
  
• Dry beans;
  
• Rice;
  
• “Helper” products such as hamburger and tuna helper;
  
• Pasta and sauce;
  
• Peanut butter and jelly;
  
• Baking products such as flour and sugar;
  
• Ketchup;
  
• Mustard;
  
• Diapers;
  
• Shampoo;
  
• Toilet paper; and
  
• Laundry supplies and soap.