Nov. 6, 2015 DeKALB, Ill. – The annual Northern Illinois University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) canned food drive will begin on Monday, November 9 and continue up until the final NIU football home game this season against Ohio on Tuesday, November 24 at 6:30 p.m.

This year, SAAC has altered its collecting methods to make donating easier for area residents looking to give back to those in need this holiday season.

Those interested and willing to donate just need to bring non-perishable food items to one of the following NIU Athletics events:

Tuesday, Nov. 17: NIU women’s basketball game, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 21: NIU men’s basketball game, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 21: NIU gymnastics meet, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 24, NIU football game, 4-7 p.m.

Donations at the NIU football game against Ohio on November 24 can be made by finding a Salvation Army kettle bell location near Huskie Stadium, leaving your donations there and receiving your ticket voucher for four $14 tickets to that night’s game.

For certain DeKalb and Sycamore residents, NIU student-athletes will be passing out brown paper bags generously provided by Schnucks during the week starting November 9 that can be filled with non-perishable food items and left on the front door step on Monday, November 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for NIU student-athletes to collect for the canned food drive. For those that choose to donate via this method, call 815-753-1812 if your donation has not been collected by 4 p.m. on that day and be sure to check your mailbox or front door for your NIU football game ticketing voucher.

“This is a wonderful event that SAAC participates in every year,” said NIU Student-Athlete Academic Support Services graduate assistant Shelby Miller, one of the organizers of the food drive. “Each year, we’re so happy with the amount of non-perishable food items collected. It’s a great opportunity to donate items to the DeKalb Salvation Army food pantry as the holiday season approaches.”

As a reminder, ALL donations to this food drive will be passed along to the DeKalb Salvation Army Food Bank, and those who donate will receive a football ticket voucher good for four (4) $14 tickets for the Huskies’ season finale against the Bobcats on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

--NIU--