KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Workers and students at Tennessee's public community and technical colleges spent around six weeks collecting food and cash donations. At the end of the 25th annual Food Drive Challenge, the colleges collected a total of 128,039 food items.
The food drive was conceived in 1999 by the Student Government Presidents Council. Now, it's a way for the statewide group of student leaders to address food insecurity and help make sure students have the chance to excel without hunger hindering their ability.
The donations will go to campus food pantries for students, according to a release, and to local organizations, programs and food banks. A report by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission recommended stakeholders in colleges establish regular meetings to facilitate the best practices and share resources against food insecurity.
It also recommended campus workers have training opportunities to improve their ability to support students facing food insecurity. It also said institutions should address the financial needs of current programs meant to address food insecurity, making sure they have the resources they need to make sure no student goes hungry.