Bringing in over $17,000 and 8,404 cans, last week’s Harvest Food Drive found students cleaning out their wallets and kitchen pantries to help the hungry in the Kansas City area (the money total is not exact due to last second donations).

The Student Government Association had set the goal of $20,000 and 10,000 cans in order to highlight the centennial year. 

Although the drive fell short of this goal, SGA still viewed the week as an overall success.

“We set our goals pretty high and we did that on purpose because we knew if we didn’t reach [the goal], then we would get close.  The bottom line is that we raised over $17,000 and 8,000 cans, which is still a lot,” senior Michael Varraveto, SGA president, said.

On the top of the can and money totals, the drive, in conjunction with the Regis club, brought in roughly 220 coats for the Bishop Sullivan Center and Seton Center.

 In past years, the coat drive was held after Thanksgiving break. 

“This year Regis [club] approached us and asked ‘can we put the coat drive in with the Harvest Food Drive because it’s basically going to the same places,’” Mr. Michael Heringer, SGA moderator, said.

Along with the addition of the coat drive, a new display was built in the Barry Commons.

Harvest Food Drive because it’s basically going to the same places,’” Mr. Michael Heringer, SGA moderator, said.

Along with the addition of the coat drive, a new display was built in the Barry Commons. 

“Instead of the globe [display in the commons], SGA did an altar of cans in order to emphasize that giving to the poor is not an option, since it is our faith that calls us to care for our brothers,” Mr. Heringer said.

Like last year, Harvest Food Drive was highlighted with a prayer service and a bombardment tournament.

Father Matt Ruhl, pastor at St. Francis parish, spoke at the prayer service.  The bombardment tournament, raising approximately $1000, began last Thursday and will continue after Thanksgiving break.

The money raised will go to the St. James, St. Francis and St. Louis parishes for their emergency assistance funds for heating and electricity bills.  The canned goods went straight to the Seton Center and Bishop Sullivan Center.

According to Mr. Heringer, the most striking difference this year is that there are more hungry people in the Kansas City area, in which one in seven families have trouble feeding themselves on a day-to-day basis.

The drive remained incentive free, and the fact that students still gave knowing this fact made it all the more important.

“[SGA] went through the entire week saying ‘our incentive in no incentive’ which basically means that we are donating not to get something like a movie in class, but because we can and because we want to,” senior Jack Evans, Harvest Food Drive committee chair, said.