The University’s Customer Service Committee, in conjunction with the Student Affairs Office of Student Volunteerism, got ready for the Thanksgiving by helping others, collecting and donating more than 1,700 pounds of food for the holiday.
A canned-food drive, held the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to Thanksgiving, and a Halloween Trick or Treat drive in October, benefited Richardson’s Network of Community Ministries, an association of 60 churches and service organizations that serve 14 Zip codes in Dallas County.
Collection boxes strategically placed throughout campus helped capture UT Dallas’ spirit of giving.
Stew beef, soup, beans, ham, fruit, peanut butter, energy bars, pudding, instant potatoes, cranberry sauce and boxed dressing mixes were among food items donated.
“The Customer Service Committee was excited to have the opportunity to partner with students to support the community food bank,” said Peg Zotter, special assistant to the vice president of Business Affairs. “This was the first time we participated in the holiday food drive. Based on the success of the collection, we plan to make this an annual partnership.”
The Customer Service Committee is an initiative of the Office of Business Affairs.
Student volunteers Jet Enrique and Darla Reber, led by staffer Marcos Chavez, delivered the food Wednesday after contacting Jack Lyles, vice president and financial officer for the Network, who opened the storage facility, took delivery and weighed the donated goods. He recorded receipt of 1,700 pounds of food from UT Dallas.
“You guys are great. You’ve done a tremendous job for us. Thank you very much. This means a lot,” Lyles said.
Media Contact: Haywood McNeill, UT Dallas, (972) 883-4997, hmcneill@utdallas.edu
or the Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, newscenter@utdallas.edu
Jack Lyles of the Network of Community Ministries takes delivery of donated food from student volunteer Darla Reber.
From left: Customer Service Committee members Peg Zotter, Iris Decker, Tonja Kirkwood-Brown, Kortysheima Coleman and Lisa Sunderland show the food gathered during late October’s Trick or Treat drive.