Social Work Club Collects Food for Families in Need

OGDEN, Utah – The Social Work Club at Weber State University is collecting food items to provide Thanksgiving dinner for northern Utah families in need.

Canned goods should be brought to Social Science Building Room 140 by Nov. 21. Perishable items should be brought to Social Science Building Room 101 on Nov. 22, the day the club will assemble boxes.

The club requests donations of:
 
  • Turkeys or grocery store certificates for a turkey
  • Rolls
  • Gravy packets
  • Canned vegetables
  • Mashed potatoes (fresh potatoes or boxed mashed potatoes)
  • Yams (fresh or canned)
  • Marshmallows
  • Butter or margarine
  • Pies
Food items that are not Thanksgiving-related are also welcome and will provide families with food beyond Thanksgiving Day.

“As social workers, we stress the importance of connecting to local communities, providing services to members of the community who are in need and advocating and empowering these individuals,” said Corina Segovia-Tadehara, the club’s faculty advisor. “Students gain hands-on experience by learning to advocate for these families. It’s truly social work at its best.”

The club’s goal is to provide boxes for between 45 and 85 families represented by 15 different local agencies from Brigham City to North Salt Lake. This is the 13th year that the Social Work Club has organized a food drive. Over the years, the club has collected food to provide meals for more than 900 families.

 “The community benefits by not only receiving assistance with holiday meals, but also by knowing there are many people within their own communities who want to help. We know the holidays are tough times for many people,” Tadehara said. “If we can offset some of these difficult times by allowing parents to share in a holiday tradition with their families, we’ve done our job.”

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
 
Author:
Ivonne Dabb, University Communications
801-626-6232 • ivonnedabb@weber.edu
Contact:
Corina Segovia Tadehara, social work professor
801-626-6935 ctadehara@weber.edu