January 1, 2001
Campus donates 33,364 pounds to Second Harvest holiday food drive
Food of all kinds was loaded onto a Metro bus Dec. 8 just inside the UCSC main
entrance, as the campus community wound up its "Fill the Bus" drive to
donate food and cash to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz and San Benito
Counties.
In a ceremony beside the bus, Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood thanked the Second Harvest
committee members for their efforts to feed the hungry. Santa Cruz mayor and UCSC
lecturer Tim Fitzmaurice presented a plaque to Greenwood to thank the campus for
its help with the massive drive.
When last-minute contributions were tallied, Second Harvest credited the campus with
donating 33,364 pounds of food. Many people also contributed money to the campaign.
For every $1 donated, the Food Bank credited UCSC with three pounds of food. Second
Harvest can distribute more than $10 worth of food for every dollar donated.
The campus total was up substantially over last year's 22,000 pounds. "I'm very
proud of the generosity of the UCSC community in helping such a worthy cause,"
Greenwood said.
"Fill the bus was beyond our expectations. UCSC did a great job," said
Mac Vernon, Food Bank development director. "We're very appreciative."
The "Fill the Bus" drive had a festive air, with Metro bus drivers dressed
as Santas stopping around the community to pick up contributions. "It was just
an amazing day," said Vernon.
