Canisius represents Buffalo in food drive competition

Canisius High School has joined eight other Jesuit high schools from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania for a friendly competition called the Great Ignatian Challenge. The challenge is a holiday food drive competition intended to raise students’ awareness of hunger and inspire them to act by working to fill their local food banks and pantries with tens of thousands of pounds of much-needed provisions. Additionally, thanks to a private donor this year, each participating school can also earn a financial contribution to the school to go toward Covid-related expenses and tuition assistance. The size of the contribution each school earns will depend on the amount of food it collects in the challenge.

Food collected by Canisius during the drive will go to St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy in Buffalo. St. Luke’s is facing dire times as the number of people needing help this holiday season is increasing due to the pandemic.

Non-perishable food can be donated at Canisius High School, 1180 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, on school days through Friday, Nov. 19. The school is also hosting a drive-through food drop off event at the school from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14. The entire Western New York community is encouraged to participate to help those in need this holiday season. Canisius will deliver all donations to St. Luke’s.

“A key component of Jesuit education is fostering an ongoing desire to serve the needs of others,” explains Canisius President Father David Ciancimino, SJ. “St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, said, ‘Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words.’ This is an opportunity for us to show our care for the community through our actions.”

It’s also possible to participate virtually to help the hungry in Buffalo. Visit https://yougivegoods.com/greatignatianchallenge-2020 to purchase food online.

St. Luke’s has requested ramen noodles, canned corn, boxed rice, pasta , peanut butter & jelly, cranberry sauce, stuffing, brownie mix, mac & cheese, and corn muffin mix.

This is the fifth year of the Great Ignatian Challenge, and the first year that Canisius has participated. Over the past five years, the Great Ignatian Challenge has collected and distributed 218 tons of food.