Sports club participants win inaugural statewide canned food competition

UNC Charlotte’s Sport Clubs program was the overall winner of the inaugural First in Flight Fight Against Hunger, a statewide canned food drive competition.

For this food drive, 898 student-athletes from campus collected 2,200 pounds of canned food. Approximately 7,150 pounds of canned food were collected by the 11 collegiate sport clubs programs that participated.

The inaugural First in Flight Fight Against Hunger competition included UNC Charlotte, Appalachian State University, Davidson College, Duke University, East Carolina University, North Carolina State University, UNC Asheville, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington and Western Carolina University. Institutions competed to see which university could donate the most canned food. Organizers noted the purpose of the competition was to promote cooperation and teamwork in an attempt to make a difference for North Carolina communities.

“I am extremely proud of our sport club athletes for winning the inaugural First in Flight Fight Against Hunger and showing the other sport club programs across the state what it means to be a part of Niner Nation,” said Max Mello, assistant director for sport clubs in the Recreational Services Department. “With these donations, we were able to make a significant impact in our campus community and help those less fortunate during the holidays.”

All of the goods brought in by UNC Charlotte’s sport clubs were donated to the Niner Food Pantry, which provides assistance for undergraduate and graduate students who struggle with food insecurity.