MCV food drive aims to exceed 320 lbs. in donations

Kevin Lata
Contributing Writer

Women in Science at VCU and the Pharmacology and Toxicology Student Organization are holding their annual Thanksgiving food drive benefiting FeedMore, the leader in central Virginia hunger relief.

Food drive donation boxes for non-perishable items such as canned fruits and vegetables, hot and cold cereals, canned meats and fish, peanut butter, pasta and rice are placed across the MCV campus in the Smith, McGuire, Sanger, One Capitol Square and McGlothlin academic buildings until Nov. 26.

Last year, Women in Science collected 319 pounds of food for FeedMore, and aims to exceed that amount this donation cycle.

“We chose FeedMore initially because of their mission,” said Elizabeth Do, president of Women in Science at VCU.

“We continue to collaborate with them due to the relationship that we’ve developed.”

FeedMore currently serves 31 counties and 14 localities with their food banks and Meals on Wheels mobile food pantries.

Through these initiatives, FeedMore provides food to thousands of in-need Virginians, with Meals on Wheels alone reaching 90,000 individuals a year.

Aside from their annual food drive, Women in Science organizes toy drives, a Cinderella dress drive and a lunch buddy program at Westover Hills Elementary School.

The organization’s award-winning Girl Scouts Science Day also leaves a resounding impact on the community. Women in Science invites Girl Scouts from the Richmond metropolitan area to the MCV campus and introduces them to various fields of science through demonstrations and experiments during this outreach initiative.

Do said the organization’s community outreach work shouldn’t overshadow their primary mission, however.

“(We) support and promote the career development of women scientists at VCU by increasing the representation, participation and leadership of women in scientific disciplines,” Do said.