The final numbers are in, and the CSU community donated the equivalent of 324,038 pounds of food in this year’s Cans Around the Oval drive, benefitting hungry families in Larimer County.

Cans Around the Oval, the largest one-day food drive for the Food Bank for Larimer County, raised 42,293 pounds of food and $56,349 in donations this year. The Food Bank can buy 5 pounds of food for every $1 donated, so the contribution of canned goods and financial donations works out to more than 162 tons of food.

“We are so appreciative of everyone at CSU and in the community who gave generously this year,” said Jenn Rieskamp, program coordinator for the Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement office, which leads the annual Cans effort. “All donors should take great pride in the amazing difference they make in the lives of local needy families.”

Collection ceremony

“One out of five kids in Fort Collins don’t get enough to eat,” Vice President for Student Affairs Blanche Hughes told audience members at the Oct. 18 collection ceremony outside the Administration Building. “They might live right next door to you, or down the block. Some may be here with us today.”

Heather Buoniconti, development director for the Food Bank, told the audience that Cans Around the Oval has resulted in nearly 2 million donated meals to date.

The Food Bank serves about 30,000 Larimer County residents each year through its two Food Share pantries; about 35 percent of its clients are children and seniors. It also provides nearly 80,000 scratch-cooked meals through the Kids Café program as well as more than 100,000 healthy in-school snacks and 23,000 backpacks filled with food for weekends and school breaks. In addition, the Food Bank partners with 84 nonprofits to help them serve their clients nutritious meals throughout the year. The cash donations help the Food Bank source fresh bread, meat, dairy and produce for those in need.

Each year, colleges, departments and units on campus and organizations throughout Larimer County engage in a competition to help boost donations to Cans Around the Oval. Based on total impact – food items plus cash donations – here are the winners for each category for 2017. The College of Business is the top food gatherer for the 11^th year in a row.