The Academic Affairs Division will host their staff appreciation breakfast on Nov. 1 as a way to thank staff members from the colleges and academic units on campus. But the breakfast is also a chance for staff members to give back to the community. The theme this year is “Full Circle Giving.”  As part of the annual event, the colleges and academic units will be competing to collect the most canned goods to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

To add a little fun to the competition, all staff members who bring a donation of non-perishable canned goods will be entered into a drawing for a raffle prize from their college or unit’s dean or AVP. In addition, Deputy Provost Andy Feinstein will donate half a day of volunteering on tasks assigned by the staff of the college or unit to collect the most food donations

While the breakfast is only open to academic affairs staff employees, the College of Applied Sciences and Arts will have a box in the Dean’s Office, MacQuarrie Hall 431, to collect canned goods until 5 p.m. on Oct. 31 for others on campus who would like to donate. The Dean’s Office staff will turn the collected goods in at the breakfast on Nov. 1. Staff members who are unable to attend but who would like to donate food, faculty and students are encouraged to drop items off during the Dean’s Office open hours, from 8 a.m. to noon or 1 to 5 p.m. on Friday, or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday next week.

At many food banks, donations of canned and dry goods as well as monetary donations are traditionally high throughout November and December but drop off after the holiday season. The donations collected during the coming months often help to fill bags of food for families well into the New Year.

In California, unemployment is at its highest in the winter months so the numbers of families seeking food assistance is often at its high point in January and February. According to the Second Harvest Food Bank’s website, one in 10 people living in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties receives food from SHFB. The food bank distributes food to more than 300 community organizations in the two counties.

The most-needed, non-perishable items include:

• Meals in a can (stew, chili, soup)
• Tuna and canned meat
• Peanut butter
• Low-sugar cereal
• 100-percent fruit juices
• Canned fruit (packed in juices)
• Canned vegetables (low in salt)
• Cans with pop-top lids

Monetary donations can be made to Second Harvest Food Bank at shfb.org/Donate or by phone at 1-866-234-3663.