MTSU groups organize food donations to help students have ‘Thankful Thursday’

Members of MTSU’s campus community are getting a head start on Thanksgiving Day by arranging for some students to have what they need for a traditional feast.

Maigan Wipfli, director of the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students — Maigan Wipfli

Organizations are collecting food now for “Thankful Thursday,” a distribution of boxes of nonperishable food items for Thanksgiving meals, planned from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, on the Student Union Commons.

“The Division of Student Affairs has recognized how difficult this year has been for the students,” said Maigan Wipfli, director of the the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students.

“We decided to partner with the MTSU Student Food Pantry to raise awareness for their services.”

Since 2012, the food pantry, which is located on the second floor of the MT One Stop, has collected, stored and distributed nonperishable food and personal care items to students.

To date, the Student Food Pantry has received 140,135 pounds of food, and students have visited it for supplies more than 6,875 times.

“Thankful Thursday” gatherers are requesting donations of boxed stuffing and mashed potatoes; canned sweet potatoes, green beans, corn gravy and cranberry sauce; condensed soup for casseroles and canned pie filling, along with can openers.

Students can use the contents of the boxes at their current residences or they can take the boxes home to their families. Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, Nov. 26.

Donors should drop off items in Room 330 of the Student Union, 1768 MTSU Blvd., by noon on Monday, Nov. 16.

Off-campus donations are welcome, but pickups are restricted to campus only. To have items picked up on campus, send an email to jacwns@mtsu.edu.