Student Advocacy Center Holds Fall Food Fair for Students and Community

The line of cars starting forming at 8 a.m. by a parking lot near the SAC parking garage. As the drivers patiently waited, volunteers with the Student Advocacy Center set up tents and tables and put together bags filled with meat, dairy, vegetables, drinks and pastries. Despite a light rain, the volunteers had everything ready by 10 a.m. to start the Fall Food Fair to help students and the community who were food insecure.

According to Pamela Frias, interim director of the Student Advocacy Center, the San Antonio Food Bank delivered 11 pallets of food to be given away. She added that the Fair was set to take place before Thanksgiving because many families have children at home over the short holiday break.

Over a span of four hours, the Student Advocacy Center gave food to more than 200 people, mainly students. The center was helped by 40 SAC volunteers who helped set up the event and handed out the groceries.

“It turned out great, everyone come together,” said Marisa Martinez, a graduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio who works at the Advocacy Center. “Some students picked up bags and stayed to volunteer.”

“It makes me real happy that we can help a lot of people,” said Helaina Valdez, a SAC student who works at the Advocacy Center. “My family went a few Thanksgivings without food ourselves, so to be able to make sure people have a Thanksgiving is a really great feeling.”

 –SAC–