The Hokies for the Hungry annual canned food drive will be held by the Virginia Tech marching band, the Marching Virginians, Saturday, Nov. 17 at Lane Stadium on the Virginia Tech campus.
The band encourages the community to bring canned foods, nonperishable foods or monetary donations to the VT vs. Miami game and support the Montgomery County Christmas Store, an all-volunteer non-profit organization that assists low-income families in Montgomery County.
“Soup: chicken noodle and tomato, canned fruit-peaches, pears, mandarin oranges, and fruit cocktail, cake mixes and macaroni and cheese are foods that are needed,” Joan Cliff from the Christmas Store’s Food Department said.
Every year at the Food Drive, the Marching Virginians collect food at entrances to Lane Stadium.
Their goal is to collect “One Can from Every Fan.”
David McKee, long-time Director of the Marching Virginians, supported this tradition for years until his retirement last year. The new band director is Polly Middleton.
This is a 22-year-long tradition of service for the Marching Virginians.
Tailgate pep bands will also march through the parking lots and visit tailgates before the kick-off for the game.
For cash donations, the Pep Band will play the Hokie Pokie at your tailgate. Funds are then used to buy needed food items to stock the shelves of the Christmas Store December 4-8, when eligible shoppers visit the store.
Every year, low-income families who are eligible to shop at the store receive a time to visit. New clothing in sizes from newborn to senior adult, new toys and teen gifts, and consumable household items like shampoo, personal hygiene and toilet paper that are not covered by assistance, are arranged on the shelves for shoppers to choose for their family members.
The shopping experience ends in the store’s food department and every family receives enough food for a Christmas meal for everyone in the family.
Open since 1982, the Montgomery Christmas Store depends on donations from events like the annual Hokies for the Hungry Food Drive, so every shopper can go home and prepare a Christmas meal.
Last year, the Marching Virginians collected 3474 cans of food and delivered them to the Christmas Store. They collected over $12,000 in monetary donations and made it possible to provide food for those who need it.
Through the food drive, the band works to achieve the VT motto Ut Prosim (that I may serve), the promise that Hokies make to serve others.
“All of us can work together to help our less fortunate neighbors in Montgomery County and cheer for the Hokies at the same time,” Christmas Store volunteers said. “Please help us “Collect One Can for Every Fan” and make the Annual Hokies for the Hungry Food Drive the best ever! “Go Hokies!””
Donations can be made directly to the Montgomery County Christmas Store by visiting www.mcchristmasstore.org.
