Media report on UCU initiative to aid University of Maine System food pantries
WVII (Channel 7) and WGME (Channel 13 in Portland) reported on a University Credit Union campaign that focuses on food insecurity on Maine campuses. Throughout December, UCU is rallying support for the five University of Maine System-based food pantries as they approach the busy winter season. For it’s “Ending Hunger on Campus in Maine” campaign, UCU aims to raise at least $7,500 in donated funds and food. To kick off the initiative, UCU donated $500 to each pantry, including the University of Maine’s Black Bear Exchange food pantry and clothing swap, which is part of UMaine’s Bodwell Center for Service and Volunteerism. “None of us were aware of how big the need is, but we’ve seen research that shows almost half of all college students at one time or another have to choose between food insecurity issues and textbooks, living expenses and other costs of attendance,” UCU president and CEO Matt Walsh told WVII. Downeast Coastal News also published a UCU news release on the initiative.