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Student Athletes Participate in C-USA Canned Food Drive

Thu, 10/30/2014 - 12:06pm | By: David Tisdale

Southern Miss President Rodney D. Bennett signs a proclamation designating Nov. 7-14 as “Let's SAAC Hunger Week” on the Hattiesburg campus. (Southern Miss photo by Danny Rawls).

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) at The University of Southern Mississippi are sponsoring canned food collection drives Nov. 7-14 as part of “Let's SAAC Hunger” week.

Conference USA member institutions participate in the initiative through conference-wide community outreach.  SAAC and CCCE invite all student groups, faculty, staff, alumni and area residents to participate.

“It really means a lot to be a part of this effort and know you were able to help somebody who's hungry get a meal, especially during the holiday season,” said Chris Monroe, a junior from Tuscaloosa, Ala. and a member of the Southern Miss Track and Field team.

The C-USA school with the top weight of canned goods donated will be recognized in the spring by conference officials. Southern Miss has been a leader in the project since its inception.

Edwards Street Fellowship Center in Hattiesburg is the designated local beneficiary of "Let's SAAC Hunger Week." Established in 1979 as an outreach ministry of the Hattiesburg District of the Mississippi Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Center serves an urban community of the southeast side of Hattiesburg. The ministry is center on the commitment to strengthening families and individuals and meeting special needs in the community.

Ann McCullen, executive director of the Center, said she's grateful that her organization is again the local recipient of the food drive. “We serve over 1,300 households in our area, and this effort by the athletes really helps us get ready for the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons,” she said. 

The schedule of collection opportunities for “Let's SAAC Hunger” week includes the following:
*Nov. 7-14: Southern Miss Athletics will offer fans who donate at least five canned food items at home athletics events Nov. 7-14 will receive a free admission voucher to one of the women's basketball games in the Lady Eagles Thanksgiving Classic Tournament at Reed Green Coliseum Nov. 28-29. Canned goods will be collected at the following athletics events:

*11/7- USM Volleyball vs. Western Kentucky University, 7 p.m.
*11/8 – USM Women's Basketball vs. University of West Florida, 12 p.m.
*11/8 – USM Football vs. Marshall University, 6 p.m.
*11/9 – USM Volleyball vs. Florida Atlantic University, 12 p.m.
*11/14 – USM Women's Basketball vs. William Carey University, 11:00 a.m.
*11/14 – USM Men's Basketball vs. William Carey University, 7 p.m.

*Nov. 7-14: Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to bring canned goods during regular business hours to the Center for Community and Civic Engagement, located in The Hub, room 104, or to any Aramark dining location on the Hattiesburg campus.

*Nov. 9-13: Canned goods will be collected by Southern Miss student-athletes at Corner Market grocery store location in Hattiesburg, Petal and Oak Grove Nov. 9-13 from 6-8 p.m.

For more information, call Dan Jacobs at 601.266.4502 or the CCCE at 601.266.5074.