The Fresno State community is giving back to those in need this holiday season with their fourth annual “Helping Hams” campaign.
The Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market hosted the annual event, and manager Jeremy Lewis said it was a community effort to help make sure everyone enjoys holiday season. They accepted donations that helped pay for the ham, which are produced on campus through the meat science department.
“Those hams will then be donated to organizations within the community to help those in need have a great holiday,” Lewis said.
The farm market teamed up with campus organizations, Associated Students Inc. (ASI) and Ag One which will help in selecting the community organizations that receive the hams. This year’s goal of $7,000 lead to the purchase of 230 hams for families in need.
On Dec. 16 the market will be dispensing the hams to the community organizations that ASI has chosen.
“It’s going to be a mini event we’re going to have ASI here and the organizations they have chosen,” Lewis said. “The Gibson Farm Market will be the drop-off point where we can get those hams out into the community”
Lewis said he’s happy to see the campus involved in this campaign and how much of an impact they made in reaching their goal. From producing the hams to the donations collected at the market, everything was done on campus.
“It’s very Fresno State from start to finish,” Lewis said
The donations were accepted in $5 increments and six donations ($30) pays for one ham. Along with individual donations RCO Ag Credit continued their annual support and donated $3,500. Each year the campaign exceeds its targeted goal with the help of everyone who donates whatever they can.
Lewis said he is grateful for all the local businesses that took part in donating, but what really surprised him were the number of families that came in together to donate.
“It’s really great see the average family coming into the market wanting to donate,” Lewis said. “Being able to put their money and have it work towards somebody out in the community that may be a little less fortunate than them.”