Gamma Beta Phi put on the “Ton of Fun Food Drive” Thursday as a part of Homecoming week to collect canned foods for the Tangi Food Pantry.
“Every year we put it on, we try to raise at least one ton of food to donate to the Tangi Food Pantry,” said Timothy Reling, president of Gamma Beta Phi and senior psychology and criminal justice major.
The Tangi Food Pantry is a local, volunteer non-profit organization that provides free groceries to over 40,000 people in Tangipahoa Parish every year who are in desperate need of food assistance, according to their website.
Gamma Beta Phi met their goal by collecting 3,285 cans, which weigh about 2,099 pounds, just over the one-ton mark.
“As long as we raise a ton of food to donate, I think it’s a success,” said Reling.
Many student and non-student organizations participated in the food drive, including Sigma Sigma Sigma, Theta Chi, Omega Phi Alpha, Theta Phi Alpha, Delta Tau Delta, Phi Mu, Sigma Tau Gamma, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Alpha Sigma Tau, Kappa Sigma, Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha, Alpha Omicron Pi, Gamma Beta Phi, Nepalese Student Association at Southeastern and Moxie Dance Project.
“The Greek System was heavily involved in it, as well as non-student organizations,” said Reling.
Gamma Beta Phi has been putting on the “Ton of Fun Food Drive” every year during Homecoming week since 2006, with the exception of last year.
“It’s been a tradition of Gamma Beta Phi to do this for years since before I became a member, and we just think continuing it is a good thing for the community, donating to food pantries to make sure people always have food and never go hungry,” said Reling.
For more information about Gamma Beta Phi, visit www2.southeastern.edu/orgs/gbp/, and for more information about donating to the Tangi Food Pantry, visit www.tangifoodpantry.org/.