The Ohio State University

onCampus

• Help
• Buckeye Link
• Map
• Find People
• Webmail
• Search

  Search Ohio State Go

OSU tops own record for Operation Feed donation

June 18, 2009

By Adam King

One doesn’t have to go far to find who contributes to Ohio State’s success in raising food and donations to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s Operation Feed campaign. Every corner of the university gets involved, from an individual scale to unit-wide participation.

The campaign wouldn’t be what it is without employees and students donating generously, which they did again this year by bringing in 18,000 pounds of food and more than $45,000.

That equals more than 108,000 meals, topping last year’s mark of 99,561 meals.

“We had a lot more cash donations than food this year over last year,” said Michele Bondurant, Ohio State’s Operation Feed campaign manager. “But that’s a good thing since the Foodbank has incredible buying power and can turn $1 into $8 worth of food.”

OSU students’ Rock the Block, which designated Operation Feed as its charity to support, alone collected 1,300 food items.

And someone has to move all that food to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s warehouse. The OSU Mail Services drivers volunteer to pick up and deliver the collection boxes.

Tom Crawford, director of Mail Services, said it’s important for his unit to support what is an innate part of Ohio State’s mission.

“Operation Feed helps the needy and it’s a university objective that lends itself directly to community involvement,” Crawford said. “This is our opportunity to give back and help support others. We’re all in this together.”

It was important for Ohio State to increase its donation this year because demand at food pantries has grown 20 percent since the full brunt of the economic downturn took effect.

Mid-Ohio Foodbank has set an ambitious goal to raise 5 million meals in 2009, up from 4.3 million collected a year ago.

Joan Casto Lloyd, the Foodbank’s Operation Feed campaign director, was thrilled Ohio State was able to set its own bar higher.

“During these tough economic times, the faculty, staff and students from Ohio State once again demonstrated their commitment to helping their neighbors in need,” she said. “By surpassing last year’s results and digging deep to exceed the 100,000-meal mark for the first time, they have helped to ensure that no one in central and eastern Ohio has to face hunger.”

While OSU’s portion of the campaign is complete, the general campaign continues until June 30, giving those who weren’t able to donate more time to do so through midohiofoodbank.org. And anyone can join the campaign by eating out on June 30 at participating restaurants, which will donate 5 percent of their gross sales receipts.

“We have over 215 campaigns involved in Operation Feed and are excited to partner with the Central Ohio Restaurant Association for ‘Foodfight6.30,’” Casto Lloyd said. “It’s a great opportunity for residents to dine out to fight hunger.”

For more details and a list of participating restaurants, visit midohiofoodbank.org/act/operation-feed.