Conference USA `Let's SAAC Hunger' Program Collects 30 Tons of Food

The University of Houston collected more than 22,000 pounds of food during the “Let’s SAAC Hunger” program, the Conference USA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee conference-wide community service initiative. The Cougars win the 2011 C-USA SAAC Cup, given annually to the institution collecting the most food by weight. Eight C-USA schools collected more than 2,000 pounds of food donations during their drive week.

Each C-USA school worked within their respective communities to conduct a campus-wide canned food drive for one week during the fall semester. All student groups and alumni were encouraged to participate. For its C-USA SAAC Cup entry, each institution selected a local food bank to receive their donations.

More than 30 tons of food totaling 60,752.14 pounds, which equates to more than 55,000 meals, was collected conference-wide.

Houston collected 22,448 pounds of food for the Star of Hope organization that has focused its resources toward providing for the city’s homeless for more than 100 years. The more-than-11-tons donated nearly tripled the second place total and was the largest total collected since the Let’s SAAC Hunger program began in 2008.