2009 North American Food Drive Results
by Chris Barrick • December 2009 • 3 Comments •
Since 1993, Lambda Chi Alpha has been coordinating an international philanthropy project that has now raised 33,502,825lbs of food for the needy across North America. Although individual chapters have been doing their own local food drives for many years prior to 1993, this was the first year that the International Headquarters announced this as a cohesive North American program.
Called the Lambda Chi Alpha North American Food Drive, this annual event is arguably the largest single-day philanthropic project sponsored by a collegiate organization.
With half the participating chapter’s reporting, Lambda Chi Alpha collected 1,236,164 pounds of food this year. It is expected when all chapters report, Lambda Chi Alpha will again raise more than 2.5 million pounds of food.
Food collected by chapters directly supports the hungry and needy within their local communities. Participating chapters typically gather money or canned food and donate all proceeds to a local food bank, shelter, or charity.
For some shelters, Lambda Chi Alpha’s food drive is the single-largest source of charity they receive, and they rely on our chapters every year. Each can of food collected not only feeds someone in need but also raises the awareness that helping those in need is a cornerstone of what Lambda Chi Alpha is committed to doing.
Brothers Feeding Others¯ is more than a slogan. It is the embodiment of the true principles upon which our Fraternity is founded.
The following are just a few of the chapters who were recognized by the local media for their contributions related to this year’s North American Food Drive:
Worcster (Pi)
In keeping with a 17-year holiday tradition, the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Pi Zeta chapter of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity recently donated approximately 70,000 pounds of food and $1,000 from the city community to Worcester-based Friendly House community center.
The fraternity’s 75 brothers visited more than 10,000 homes throughout Worcester earlier this month and dropped off donation bags with fliers to encourage contributions. On Nov. 14, the brothers returned to collect the bags filled with food for Worcester’s lower-income families. Everything from canned goods and pasta to baby food was collected. Monetary donations were also mailed to the fraternity by numerous city residents. The Worcester Sharks hockey team and Worcester County Sheriff Guy W. Glodis’s office also aided with garnering food donations. While the fraternity has completed its official “food-raising” for Thanksgiving, donations continue to pour in, and those will be applied toward the December holiday season. In the past 17 years the fraternity has run this drive, it has given well over 1 million pounds of food to Friendly House, thanks to generous donations. The food drive is part of the national Lambda Chi Alpha’s North American Food Drive, in which all chapters participate across the United States and Canada.
Minnesota State (Lambda-Delta)
As Minnesota State University students Chris Wilke and Alex Sukalski went door to door in upper North Mankato Saturday, not everyone was happy to see them.
“Some people were pretty stone faced,” Wilke said. “But once you hand them a bag and explain, instantly their whole mood changes.”
Wilke and Sukalski — and a handful of other members of the Lambda Alpha Chi fraternity from Minnesota State University — hustled around the Mankato and North Mankato areas Saturday handing out Cub Foods grocery sacks.
Attached to each sack was this message: “In these hard economic times, we must look to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. People in your community go hungry every day, and we, Lambda Chi Alpha, want to do something about it.”
Texas-El Paso (Zeta-Epsilon)
With winter just around the corner, the UTEP Miners want to make sure no one in El Paso has to go hungry this holiday season.
Saturday, more than 200 students from at least a dozen campus organizations participated in the 16th annual North American Food Drive, an international philanthropic event started by the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. This is the sixth year the University of Texas at El Paso has participated in the event.
Volunteers wearing “Brothers Feeding Others” T-shirts stood at several intersections throughout the city, requesting food and cash donations from the community.
The group said it collected enough monetary and food donations to reach its goal of 100,000 pounds of food. Organizers said every 10 cents collected allows the purchase of one pound of food.
Saturday’s success surpassed the 73,000 pounds of food collected last year.
Denver (Alpha-Pi)
As Thanksgiving approaches, DU fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha is making sure to do their part to feed those who are less fortunate.
Lambda Chi Alpha’s fall philanthropy is a food drive to collect canned food and donations from the DU community, which they donate to Food Bank of the Rockies.
“This year, we have received approximately $1,000 in donations and we anticipate making about a 100,000-pound donation to the Food Bank of the Rockies,” said Antoine Perretta, external vice president of philanthropy for Lambda Chi Alpha.
This philanthropy is part of the North American Food Drive, sponsored by Lambda Chi Alpha chapters across the nation. In 2006, 104 chapters nationwide participated and raised 2.3 million pounds of food. The North American Food Drive began in 1993.
More than 90 fraternity members participated in the food drive, which took place in the end of October.
“It’s great that we can help do our part to make this upcoming holiday season a little happier for others,” said Perretta.
Members prepare letters to the community stating who they are and ask for donations of nonperishable food. Monetary donations also are accepted.
Leif Hadden Says:
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 pmGentlemen,
This is outstanding. This event shows a true meaning to being a brother and helping out fellow man. Thank you to everyone who participated. I am proud to say I am a Lambda Chi.
Tom Earp Says:
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:08 pmHow hard it is to express ones self when it comes to the work done by our Zetas of Lambda Chi Alpha.
I always try to tell people that we as a social fraternity have more done by our members for the betterment for feeding others in the USA. This also includes the United Postal Service food drive. I can never say enough great things about my fellow Brothers who have worked so hard for so many of the needy. Congratulations to each and every zeta and Brother.
I truely feel that In ZAX is more than just something to type in my signature.
Tom Earp
LX Z # 1
Pittsburg State University, Ks. 1967
John Windwick Says:
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:15 pmCongratulations on another successful event, as usual Lambda Chi steps up in a time of need for many, and makes a difference. All the best for future drives, I know the brothers at epsilon rho have been doing this drive each year since approx 1990, and get the respect and admiration of our local food bank when ever our trucks roll up to the warehouse. I take great pride in our brothers efforts and in this initiative. Keep up the great work.
John Windwick
EP 713
University Of Alberta,