Nov. 10, 2014
Audrey Jensen
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As holiday season approaches, Clyde’s Cupboard is planning on giving away more items than they usually would and awarding one student with a multiple food, portioned Thanksgiving dinner basket.
Students who are already signed up to take food from Clyde’s Cupboard can sign up with Clyde’s Cupboard president Richard Almarode until Nov. 21 and the student will be chosen on Nov. 25.
“This if the first year we are trying this [Thanksgiving dinner give-away] so we want to see how it will turn out and if we want to try again or expand it next year,” Almarode said.
The basket of food will have turkey, green beans, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams and mashed potatoes, a pumpkin to make a pie with, pie crust, fried onions and rolls. It will be up to the student to cook and prepare the meal.
Clyde’s Cupboard will also be expanding the number of food items they are giving away to students for the season.
“There have been some changes in how much food we are giving away to students with the current drive of Battle of the Departments. I am getting an abundance of some items so those select items we are giving away,” Almarode said.
Samantha Mickens, senior health sciences major, said that the food intake for students will increase from six to eight items.
Mickens is a part of the Battle of the Departments between different schools and offices such as the Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Financial Aid Office.
Various offices and departments have boxes located in their areas for students to donate food or toiletry items. Whichever department collects the most items will win a free continental breakfast.
Mickens is enrolled in instructor Jessica Kirby’s program planning class and is the leader for her group for the class assignment of conducting a food drive specifically for Clyde’s Cupboard. The last day to donate for Battle of the Departments is Nov. 17.
“So far this semester, from the food drive alone we have received 1,700 different food items. The first week we received about 980 and the second week we received about 800 different food items,” Mickens said.
“When donating food please be aware of what you are donating. Don’t donate anything expired. Keep the golden rule in mind: donate what you would want to receive. Try and make the items healthy as well,” she added.
The Daniel’s Fund Foundation is currently working to collect toiletry items for the cupboard. Almarode is unsure of how much has been collected since the start of their drive.
Separate from the Battle of the Departments, UCCS Dining and Food Services will have boxes to collect loose change at Clyde’s and Coffee @ UC as part of “Coins for Clyde’s Cupboard.” Almarode said they have exceed over 3,000 items donated from the food drives hosted since the beginning of the semester.
“I know at the start of the semester there was not a lot of revenue coming in. There was a lot of hype between the departments though, so I knew the revenue would be coming. Now that the food drive is in full swing there is a huge change from the start of the semester,” Mickens said.