University food bank volunteers to make Halloween collection drive

Plenty of trick-or-treaters will be collecting candy on Halloween, but not everyone is after sweets volunteers with the University of Calgary's Students' Union Campus Food Bank will also be out collecting non-perishable donations.

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"It's usually kind of a tough time of the year for food banks, for the Students' Union Food Bank as well,because this is our first big food drive of the year," said Amy LeBlanc, one of the food bank's co-ordinators.

"So our shelves are a little bit bare right now, but hopefully over the next couple of weeks we can start building them back up."

The university's food bank provides seven-day emergency food hampers to students, staff, faculty, and alumni.

The following items in order of importance are especiallyneeded:

• Toiletries.
• Peanut butter.
• Canned fruits and vegetables.
• Cereal and oatmeal.
• Canned pasta.
• Meal helpers such as "Hamburger Helper."
• Coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
• Pasta sauce, pasta and dry soup.
• Canned meat, seafoodand beans.
• Gluten-free products.

Cash donations are also appreciated.

Last school year, thecampus food bank had about 625 clients.