Ole Miss Food Bank’s ‘Banksgiving’ Aims to Provide Students Food During Holidays

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com

Photo provided by The University of Mississippi Journalism School and New Media.

The Ole Miss Food Bank—an organization that provides food to Ole Miss students in need—hosts ‘Banksgiving’ this week to gather food for students during the holiday season.

Shane Ferrero, director for the Ole Miss Food Bank, said the bank provides food to approximately 10 students per week.

“The actual number (of students) could be higher,” Ferrero said. “Monthly, this probably means around 40 students.”

The bank is open this week as well as the week after Thanksgiving in hopes of providing food essentials to students, according to Ferrero.

“This year we decided to hold the drive near the holidays because that’s often when we have the most patrons,” Ferrero said.

As the semester comes to an end, financial aid can begin to dwindle leaving some students less access to on campus meal places during the holiday breaks, Ferrero said.

“We thought it would be great timing to hold a campus-wide event to increase donations and awareness around this time,” Ferrero said.

Although the event is wrapping up as Thanksgiving approaches, Ferrero said that the bank takes donations year round.

Those looking to make donations to the Ole Miss Food Bank can drop off nonperishable items at all dorms, the J.D. Williams Library, student union, the Law School, Martindale Student Services Center, and even the food bank, located in Kinard 213.

The Ole Miss Food Bank was founded Nov. 8, 2012 in effort to alleviate hunger among students in the Ole Miss community. Members at the pantry encourage donations of peanut butter, canned proteins, jellies, pasta and rice, and cereals.

For more information about the Ole Miss Food Bank, email olemissfoodbank@gmail.com.