More than 20 volunteers will be traveling around campus Thursday singing Christmas carols in exchange for nonperishable food items and hygiene products.
Associated Students, Inc. has partnered this year with the Fresno State Student Cupboard to collect donated items that will be available to Fresno State students. This year will be the eighth annual Caroling for Cans, and the goal is to collect 2,000 goods, said Neida Rodriguez, volunteer and ASI intern.
“I definitely think the excitement for Caroling for Cans has been growing. The faculty are a little more involved this year compared to last year,” said Abigail Hudson, ASI president.
The goal for Caroling for Cans is to get students to collect cans like a canned food drive but with a holiday cheer incorporated into it, Hudson said. Thursday morning, volunteers will gather for a small breakfast and gear up in their holiday clothes.
They will break off into two to three groups and go around to different departments on campus with Christmas carol books and sing for the exchange of donated items, said Hudson. The donated items will be loaded onto a golf cart and dropped off at the Fresno State Student Cupboard in the Industrial Technology Building, Room 144.
“It’s a fun way to get the people on campus to support and provide for students around the holiday,” Hudson said.
Last year, Caroling for Cans received 1,000 items. They were taken to El Dorado Park west of campus, and the items were distributed throughout the community. This year, the student cupboard will be a recipient for the first time and every donated item will stay within Fresno State.
“Student cupboard is really excited to be a part of this and to put a variety and stock our shelves up with items from our campus,” said Jessica Medina, coordinator of the Food Security Project.
So far, 10 participating departments are involved, said Ashleigh Rocker Greene, ASI programs and volunteer coordinator.
The departments involved are located throughout the campus, such as the continuing and global education department in the Kremen Education Building, facilities management in the Thomas Administration Building, Fresno State Police Department, Starbucks, the University Student Union, the Henry Madden Library and the north lobby of the Joyal Administration Building.
Food will be distributed on that following Friday depending on how much the student cupboard receives. It may be gone in one day or it may be on the shelves for a few days, Medina said.
