March 23, 2009 — U.Va Dining is sponsoring "Spring into Giving," a food drive for the Emergency Food Bank, though April 12.

Drop boxes will be located in the Crossroads at the Observatory Hill Dining Hall, C-3 in Newcomb and Runk, the Fine Arts Café at Campbell Hall and Madison House.

A recent study by the Food Security Institute, Center on Hunger and Poverty found that 594,000 people in Virginia are considered "food insecure,"  and 121,000 are considered "food insecure with hunger."

Items of particular need include:

Breakfast cereal
Peanut butter
Jam/Jelly
Canned meats
Canned tuna
Canned fruits or fruit cups
Canned vegetables such as corn, peas, green beans and tomatoes
Condensed soup
Rice
Pasta and pasta sauce
Macaroni and cheese
Sugar
Flour
Cake mix and icing
Cookies/crackers/dried fruit/nuts

Support for the food drive is also provided by Slowfood UVA, Hoos Against Hunger and Homelessness, U.Va Bookstore and Alternative Spring Break.

For information, contact Sabrina Ritacco at sr8ax@virginia.edu.