TORONTO, August 31 –York University’s college councils have a challenge for faculty and staff. They’re hoping amid the happy buzz of orientation that everyone will take a minute to make a donation of a canned food item to their Can YU Dig It? food drive to benefit the North York Harvest Food Bank.

“What would happen if everyone brought just one canned food item to our Can YU Dig It? food drive?,” says Michael Cannon, president of the McLaughlin College Council. The result, he says, could be a mountain of canned food for thousands of families. “If every student participating in this year’s orientation along with their frosh bosses donated just one can of food each, we would have more than 3,000 cans of food. It is such a worthy cause that I’m challenging York’s faculty and staff to join our effort,”

Cannon has also issued a challenge to other Ontario colleges and universities. “It’s orientation week at a lot of campuses, I’d like to see who can raise the most donations to benefit local food drives," he says. "It's a great opportunity to really make a difference, especially when food banks are struggling to keep their shelves stocked. Just one can per person is all we are asking people to contribute."

The York Lanes restaurant Blueberry Hill has been first off the mark with its donation of 20 “combo” lunches for needy students. The North York Harvest Food Bank partners with the York Federation of Students Food Bank to help students in need. “In essence, this is York giving something back to its community,” says Cannon.

Each of the colleges will collect donations from students during Friday's move-in day events. Faculty and staff interested in donating either a canned food item or cash to the effort can do so by setting up a collection box in their office, or by dropping by the York Federation of Students Office, Room 336 in the Student Centre on York's Keele campus.

Cannon says the colleges will collect their donations and bring them to the York Lions football opening game set for Monday, Sept. 5 at 11:30am at the York Stadium on the Keele campus. The students will be building their mountain of food starting at noon. The winner of the college challenge will be announced shortly after.

Follow the progress of the Can YU Dig It? food drive on Twitter by searching the hashtag #tonoffood. For more information on the drive, e-mail Cannon at mccpresident@gmail.com.Or cell at 647-501-0704.

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Media Contact:
Wallace Pidgeon, associate director, Media Relations, York University, 416-736-2100 ext. 22091, wpidgeon@yorku.ca