A group of Ball State students are encouraging fellow Cardinals to use their leftover dining money or meal plans to buy canned goods to donate to Muncie Mission.
"The idea originally came to me when I was throwing away bags of chips and candy that had collected in my room during the past semester," freshman music technology major Ben Peterson said. "I was kind of put off by the fact of how much money I was wasting and spending on unneeded snack foods."
This is when Peterson decided he needed to do something, and a canned food drive seemed like the answer.
He chose Muncie Mission as the benefactor because it has an actual food pantry, he said.
"This charity is an easy way to help these less fortunate people and it also requires almost no work on students," Peterson said.
The group, which has a Facebook page, "Cap'n Cans," will be spreading the word by mouth, fliers and being present in the dining halls, Tyler Varnau, freshman photojournalism major, said.
"I want to personally help out a good cause and I hope to spread it by word of mouth that everyone around campus is getting involved and donating," Varnau said.
Peterson let cashiers know they are holding a canned food drive, so if students don't spend all their money, they can grab a canned good to donate.
"It really is just having a mind-set when your meal comes up to $6.55 to say I can buy a canned good with this extra dollar that instead I would just be throwing away," Peterson said.
The group's Facebook page informs page viewers that you can buy a can of soup for $1.29.
"I got involved because my friend Ben who lives down the hall came in and talked to me about it," Varnau said. "I thought it was really cool, thought I'd do what I could."
Peterson said it takes a small effort from Ball State students in order to do a lot of good for the community.
"It's really just about helping people that we probably will never see," he said.
The bins can be found in LaFollette Complex's Out of Bounds as well as Woodworth and Noyer complexes.
"I would just really encourage students to help spread the word and talk to their friends about the charity," Peterson said. "The fate of this drive is really in the hands of all of us, and I believe students here are good people and are ready to help make a change."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
