The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Campus Cabinet Food Pantry is partnering with Northwestern Athletics for a monetary donation/non-perishable food drive at the home basketball games on Saturday, Feb. 24.
The women will tip off at 1 p.m. against Arkansas Tech, and the men play at 3 p.m.
Those attending this game are asked to bring at least two items from the pantry’s “Most Needed” items list.
“We want to gather as many items as possible to help support our campus food pantry,” said Tim Lauderdale, associate director of athletics.
A list of the most needed types of foods and other items includes:
Chili, peanut butter, grape/strawberry jelly, canned chicken and tuna, shelf-stable microwave-ready meals, toaster pastries, cereal, breakfast drinks (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla), individual bottles of fruit juices (apple, orange), soups (chicken noodle, tomato, vegetable), individual fruit cups (peaches, pineapple, oranges, apple sauce), spaghetti sauce (meat, traditional, cheese, garlic), toilet paper, facial tissues, deodorant for men and women, tampon multi-packs/pads, new bed pillows, new or like new sheets (twin XL), new or like new blankets, adult coats/jackets of varying sizes and many other items.
Volunteers from the campus food pantry also will be providing baked goods for a Goodie Giveaway fundraising table at this game starting at noon. Tickets for opportunities to win the items on the table will be three tickets for $1. Drawings for the treats will be at halftime of both ballgames and in between games. A donation jar for additional tax-deductible monetary donations will be available on the table.
Checks should be payable to Northwestern Foundation with Campus Cabinet Food Pantry written on the memo line. Monetary donations also may be mailed to Angelia Case, coordinator of the Campus Cabinet, at 709 Oklahoma Blvd., Alva, OK 73717.
“Thank you for donating to our campus food pantry because we can’t help our friends without you,” Case said. “Our pantry was the recipient of non-perishable foods and monetary donations at the recent fine arts faculty recital, and what was collected at that event will help us cover at least one month of distribution of food and personal hygiene products for our clients.”
Case explained that during January alone more than $1,000 was spent to keep the pantry stocked. She added that expenditures on food and personal hygiene items over the past seven months have been more than $4,500.
“Our client participation numbers this school year have been much higher than before,” Case said. “In 2022-23, we averaged about four to six people each week. In the fall of 2023, we always had at least 10 people per week. Twice this school year we have peaked at 17 clients in one week, a record so far, so your donations continue to help us complete our mission of serving our students and university employees who may need a little help.”
More information about needed items or how Northwestern students and employees can use the pantry is available at www.www.nwosu.edu/campus-cabinet. On this web page are “Wish List” links for donors to use to purchase items directly from Walmart (https://bit.ly/campus-cabinet-wishlist) or Amazon (https://amzn.to/3skteAX).
More information is available by contacting Case at arcase@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8577.
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