NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) initiated their first ever Canned Food Drive Competition this winter. It featured SAAC participation from fellow Missouri Valley Conference schools Indiana State and Missouri State, with each group collecting donations at one women's basketball and one men's basketball game.
ISU SAAC President Kendee Hilliard and Events Coordinator Kayel Newland paved the way for the Redbirds' victory in the competition with 558 items collected. After collecting almost 1300 non-perishables between the three schools, the inaugural initiative appears to be a big success.
"I'm extremely pleased with how well the competition went," Hilliard said. "Our student-athletes and our Redbird family set the standard and showcased what 'Backing the Birds' means. We're excited for next year and hopeful to expand the competition to other members in the conference."
The Redbird donations were sent to the School Street Food Pantry where they will help students in the Bloomington-Normal area who are facing food insecurity.
"Hunger affects every community, but many people don't realize it. So, we wanted to do our part to help fellow Redbirds out in times of need, encourage others to do the same, and involve other members of our conference SAAC to influence our communities in positive ways," Newland stated.
All the members of Redbird SAAC are extremely gracious for all of the support of the community, and they look forward to competing again next year and building on this year's success.
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