KU News Release

KU faculty, staff coordinate food drives at athletic events

KU women's soccer team

LAWRENCE — To keep area food pantries better stocked year round, three University of Kansas faculty and staff members are working with Kansas Athletics Inc. to offer discounted tickets to several KU sporting events in exchange for nonperishable food donations.

The new effort supports the Just Food program and its three partners: ECKAN Inc., Trinity Interfaith Food Pantry and the Salvation Army.

Tickets will cost just $3 for each fan who attends the KU women’s soccer game against Loyola of Chicago at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, and brings a canned or packaged food item. General admission tickets for women’s soccer games normally cost $8 for adults and $5 for children, seniors, faculty and staff. The Jayhawk Soccer Complex is on 19th Street, immediately west of Oliver Hall.

Ann Weick, dean emeritus of the School of Social Welfare; Angela Lumpkin, the Gene A. Budig teaching professor in education; and Marlesa Roney, vice provost for Student Success, are working with Kansas Athletics to promote better coordination of campus food drives. They are assisted by the Center for Community Outreach.

Their goal is to provide a steadier stream of food to area pantries and to increase attendance at KU’s softball, baseball, volleyball, soccer and women’s basketball games.

Cash donations or checks also qualify for discounted athletics tickets. Checks may be made out to ECKAN/Just Food, an umbrella group that includes Douglas County ECKAN, the Salvation Army and Trinity Interfaith Food Pantry. Those donating by check also may note the charitable contribution on their tax returns.

At least two more fall food drives are scheduled:

— Friday, Oct. 17, Late Night in the Phog for men’s and women’s basketball. Admission to Late Night is free, but everyone will be asked to bring a food donation this year to benefit all local food pantries
— Saturday, Nov. 8, volleyball, KU vs. Texas Tech at the Horeisi Family Athletics Center.

Jeanette Collier, ECKAN coordinator, said the Just Food pantries serves approximately 1,200 to 1,500 people every month and that ECKAN representatives were seeing an increase in new patrons, particularly those on fixed incomes who are feeling the impact of rising costs of food and gas.

Canned or packaged nonperishable items needed include: meats and fish; chili or stews; vegetables and fruit; peanut butter; spaghetti sauce; fruit juices; oatmeal; crackers; dry or evaporated milk; rice; and low-sugar, high-fiber cereals.

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