From Nov. 3- Dec. 2, UCCS and CU Denver are competing to raise money to fight food insecurity at their respective campuses for the second consecutive year.
According to Campus Program Manager Liaison Tessa Ackerland, money raised in the Food Fight will be used to stock Clyde’s Cupboard, expand Fresh Food Fridays, accommodate more dietary restrictions – such as gluten-free, vegan and halal – and more.
Ackerland said that food insecurity is an issue that many students face. “A lot of people don’t really think about how that affects their studies, their livelihoods, truthfully, as they go through college. So, we just want to make sure that students don’t have to worry about that and don’t have to go hungry,” Ackerland said.
Last year, UCCS barely lost to CU Denver, raising $17,090 and $17,594, respectively. The money was used to stock Clyde’s cupboard for a semester.
UCCS has raised $28,175, and CU Denver has raised $32,436 with a goal of $30,000. According to Ackerland, the original goal of $20,000 was increased to $30,000 after it was achieved in three days.
“This year has just been even more and more of a success. We definitely did not expect to hit our goal in three days. That was crazy, so we’ve already increased the goal once, and we are in communications about how to continue doing that if we reach it again,” she said.
According to UCCS’s Food Fight website, Ent Credit Union pledged $2,000 if UCCS raises $2,000 in the last 36 hours of the campaign. The company has already matched the first $10,000 raised and donated $3,000 after 25 additional people donated on Nov. 6.
According to Ackerland, the campaign is also meant to unite the UCCS community. “The Food Fight fosters a sense of community across campus—bringing together students, staff, and faculty in a shared mission of care and support,” Ackerland said in an email.
45 percent of donations were made by alumni, 32 percent from faculty and staff, 11 percent from parents, 6 percent from friends and 5 percent from students, according to UCCS’s Food Fight website.
Those unable to donate can become advocates for the campaign by signing up on UCCS’s Food Fight website, Ackerland said. Those who sign up will receive a personal social media sharing link.
The competition can be followed here, and donations to UCCS can be made here.
The Farmstand Clydes Cupboard located down at the Farmhouse. Photo by Anysia Hovel.