The annual campus Holiday Food Drive kicks off today and runs until Friday, December 19. Helping to feed many Durham College (DC) and University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) student families in need over the holidays, this special campaign is a joint fundraiser between DC and UOIT in partnership with the Student Association and the Kinsmen Club of Oshawa.

Financial donations and non-perishable food items are collected during the months of November and December and several fundraising events and initiatives are held on campus. Last year, the food drive raised more than $24,000 to provide much-needed assistance for 184 DC and UOIT students and their families, including 279 children.

Students who may benefit from this initiative can visit one of the registration areas located at the Financial Aid and Awards offices at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses, as soon as possible. Assistance is based on need, regardless of tuition or bursary status. The deadline for registration is Friday, December 12.

“The Holiday Food Drive truly brings our entire community together to support our own,” said Kevin Dougherty, campus Holiday Food Drive co-chair. “This initiative receives overwhelming support not only from our internal community but our entire extended community including our unions, the Durham College Retirees’ Association and the college’s Alumni Association. It’s such a unique partnership and everyone is to be commended for its success.”

Dougherty and co-chair Pat Vale-Dougherty have volunteered with the campus Holiday Food Drive for 15 years, and began co-chairing it in 2006. Dougherty graduated from the DC Business Administration, Information Systems program in 1998 and is currently a professor with DC’s School of Business, IT & Management, while Vale-Dougherty graduated from DC’s Graphic Design program in 1976 and is currently executive assistant to the dean of UOIT’s Faculty of Education.

Get involved

Whether you want to volunteer your time; donate a non-perishable food item; or write a cheque, there are numerous ways you can contribute to this worthy and amazing cause. Please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/campus-holiday-food-drive for more information.

Follow @DCUOITFoodDrive on Twitter along with the #needhelp #givehelp hashtags for updates and to spread awareness.