Hornets and hornet nests were decorated onto donation bins as part of Sac State Serves involvement with Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services “Holiday Spirit of Giving Drive.’

Throughout November, the Sac State community donated food, clothing and toys to put in the donation bins.

The decoration of the donation bins is part of a friendly decorating competition the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services has, said Misty Garcia, coordinator for the Community Engagement Center.

Each bin’s decoration showcased Sac State: the toy bin was Mr. Potato Head with a hornet’s head, the food bin featured a hornet’s nest and the clothing bin was decorated using a Sac State Serves volunteer t-shirt and inside the t-shirt pocket was a hornet.

“It’s a fun experience to help advertise the event,” Garcia said.

Sac State Serves, a volunteer organization on campus, participated in the donation drive for the first time; this is one reason why there is no goal for the number of items they wish to collect.

“(the donation drive) is an outreach effort,” Garcia said. “An opportunity to donate; I didn’t want people to feel like it is a competition to donate.”

Garcia said a donation drive was chosen as a way for the Sac State community to give back to others.

She said they chose to be a part of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services “Holiday Spirit of Giving Drive’ because donations can include toys, food and clothes.

While there are food drives in some departments, like at the family and consumer sciences department, Garica said there was not one that included more than food.

Garcia said toys and clothes can be gently used or new. Donations are needed for children and adults and can include backpacks, briefcases, sports equipment and camping equipment.

Currently, kids shoes, Campbell’s soup, Kix cereal, coats and Dr. Seuss books have been collected.

All donations went to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services to benefit Sacramento families.

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services is a local non-profit organization founded in 1976. They help families and individuals achieve self-sufficiency and financial independence, according to their mission statement.

It is important for the Sac State community to donate because donations directly benefit the community, said Kelly Siefkin, communication and development director for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. Each month the organization helps 20,000 men, women and children.

Michelle Curtis can be reached at [email protected].