The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity is sponsoring a canned food benefit Thursday, capping a two-week effort by the organization to collect food for local charities.

The benefit will be held Nov. 8 at the Tower Club on 1517 Broadway Ave. in Sacramento, according to Zeta Beta Tau President Dan Rummel. Students 18 or older can get in by providing either $5 or two cans of food at the door.

Several hundred people are expected to attend the benefit, including invited Sacramento State fraternities and sororities, Rummel said.

Zeta Beta Tau executive special Chair Daniel Nordaas said the event should appeal to people?s generous nature.

“People are always interested in donating canned goods and helping out,” Nordaas said.

The event will complete a two-week food drive sponsored by the fraternity on the Sacramento State campus. Rummel said they received less cans than expected during the drive, but he thinks the numbers will improve significantly on Thursday.

“This (collection) hasn?t been what we?ve expected it to be,” Rummel said, showing the several dozen cans collected during the drive. “But I think (the benefit) will be the kicker that?ll give us a lot of donations.”

The fraternity?s drive was part of local television station KQCA 58?s annual Sacramento Kids Canned Food Drive, Rummel said. The cans collected will be distributed among a number of local charities.

The drive is the first charity event the fraternity has sponsored, Rummel said.

“We?ve participated in the ones of other sororities, but this is the first philanthropy we?ve hosted,” Rummel said.

With the recent tragedies in New York and Washington, people have been more open to seeing the needs of their communities, said Zeta Beta Tau Historian Jason Reese.

“Although we?re 3,000 miles away from New York, it brings awareness to our community and those in need,” Reese said.Though the campus drive wasn?t as successful as the fraternity had hoped, volunteers nonetheless camped out on the Quad each day looking for donations, Rummel said.

“We?ve been out here from nine to three every day,” he said. “Rain or shine, we?re out here.”

The fraternity hopes the benefit will bring more recognition to itself and the Greek community, Rummel said.

“One of a fraternity?s values is to go out and help the community,” Rummel said.

“We?re not all drinking or partying, but (also) being socially responsible. That?s what we?re founded on,” Reese said.

The fraternity plans to hold similar events in the future, according to Nordaas.

“We?re gonna have fun, then move onto bigger and better things,” Nordaas said.