Food and gift drives for needy underway at CVM

Lynn Varner with K-9 toy box

Referral coordinator Lynn Varner at the Small Animal Hospital front desk with a bin for K-9 toy donations. (Photo by Sarah Carey)

The holidays are upon us, and the CVM has at least two staff-organized opportunities for contributing to the needy in our community. One is the traditional food drive, through which canned and other goods are collected for the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank.  Another is the collection of presents for children in medical need, in collaboration with Children’s Medical Services. Within the UF Small Animal Hospital, another effort is underway to benefit area K-9s; there are collection bins for toys and donations are being accepted in both front desk areas.

As of the first week in December, the college had already collected 1714 pounds of food, which included 714 pounds from two pick-ups and a check for $100, ($100 equates to 1,000 pounds of food.)

“For every dollar donated, we are able to buy and distribute up to 10 pounds of food,” said Loretta Griffis of the food bank.

BOTM sign.

Food bins located throughout the college and in the UF Veterinary Hospitals are readily identifiable.

The BOTM Food Bank has served North Florida since 1987 and works with 150 agencies throughout Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette and Levy counties to provide emergency and benevolent food assistance. A recent study in Feeding America confirmed that people served by the local bank chronically depend upon food pantries and mobile food pantries on a consistent and ongoing basis to meet their basic nutritional needs. More information about the BOTM is available here.

Food bins are available in the Dean’s Office, the Office for Students and Instruction, the departments of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Infectious Diseases and Pathology, Physiological Sciences, UF Small Animal Hospital (near the ATM machine), UF Large Animal Hospital (hallway to the outpatient area), Deriso Hall and the Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology.

If you have any questions about the food drive or would prefer to write a check, please contact Sarah Carey at 294-4242 or email her at careysk@ufl.edu. Final food pick-ups will be made on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

In the Children’s Medical Services drive, also a college tradition, the goal is to provide presents to children with catastrophic health problems. The parents of these children often give up their jobs or have exhausted their health benefits to care for a sick child. Two families names were given to the college as especially in need of help.

One family is from Venezuela. Two sons, Mario, 8, and Julio, 10, have a sister, Stephaney, who is so sick she cannot enjoy the holidays with them. Hence the college has been asked to help the two boys. Another family has five boys, Dequan, 7; Aratrezz, 7; twins Desmen and Desmon, 5; and Nehemiah, 5. All boys are developmentally delayed and their parents are struggling to provide basic needs.

How can you help? College of Veterinary Medicine employees and students can pick out one or more ornaments hanging at the windows of the student lounge area, (just outside of the Vet Med Bookstore). Each ornament states the holiday wish of a specific child. Then simply go shopping to help fulfill that child’s holiday wish or an age-appropriate substitute.

All gifts purchased and ornaments should be taken to V1-130 in the Veterinary Academic building (Office of the College Director.)  All gifts must be received by noon on Dec. 13, but if anyone has questions or  is unable to deliver their gift, contact Mary Ring Miller at ringm@ufl.edu or by phone at 294-4210 for assistance.

No checks are permitted for this drive, only cash is accepted.

The college appreciates everyone’s generosity and willingness to keep these traditions of giving alive over the holiday season.

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December 2012

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