Cans Around the Oval Benefits Food Bank for Larimer County

Colorado State University’s 17th annual Cans Around the Oval food drive on Oct. 14 raised more than 100,000 pounds of nonperishable food for the Food Bank for Larimer County. President Larry Edward Penley and honorary chair Thomas Sutherland placed the first cans along the Colorado State Oval at mid-morning.

By late in the afternoon, organizers had weighed 100,428 pounds of donated food. Colorado State volunteers will work through the coming week to weigh remaining donations.

Cans Around the Oval is northern Colorado’s largest food drive, benefiting the Food Bank for Larimer County.

The Food Bank annually distributes more than four million pounds of food to more than  40,000 residents in the region. These residents include single-parent families, the working poor, senior citizens, youth in crisis, people with disabilities, the homeless and more. Nearly half of those served are children.

Cans Around the Oval continues to serve as a Colorado State tradition to raise awareness about hunger, tying together Colorado State students, faculty and staff with K-12 schools, community organizations and area businesses.

Last year, more than 86,000 pounds of food were donated for the hungry in Larimer County. This year, the 100,428 pounds of donated food was enough to circle the Oval more than 18 times.

The event is sponsored by King Soopers, the Sutherland family, Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, Residence Life Office, Greek Life, Spoons Soups and Salads, the Rocky Mountain Collegian, KCSU, K-99 The Point, Exodus Moving and Storage, the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, the Food Bank for Larimer County and the Lory Student Center.

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