The Hokies vs. ‘Hoos Food Fight presented by MARTIN’s is in its ninth year of capitalizing on the friendly, but fierce, rivalry between Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia.
To date, it has provided more than 310,000 meals for the hungry by pitting Hokies against ‘Hoos to see who can raise the most food and monetary donations to benefit FeedMore’s Central Virginia Food Bank.
This year, the challenge for the two fan-bases and alumni is even greater.
“Donations historically decline after the holiday season, but this year numbers are slightly lower than usual as many Central Virginians supported our northern neighbors devastated by Hurricane Sandy, and the election cycle seems to have shifted attention away from home,” said Jeff Baldwin, FeedMore’s media and public relations manager.
“The holiday giving season may be over, but hunger in our region knows no season,” says Baldwin. “As we inch closer and closer to the spring and summer months, FeedMore will continue to rely heavily on the support of our friends and neighbors in Central Virginia to help us ensure that no child, family or senior goes hungry.”
Those donations add up. “Every day through our Central Virginia Food Bank, we provide approximately 75,000 pounds of food to 350 partners in the community – equaling a whopping 62,500 meals to those in need,” cites Baldwin.
The Hokies vs. ‘Hoos Food Fight, starting earlier and running longer this year than in the past, is hoping to turn around those numbers in a big way by collecting donations at all area MARTIN’s stores and online at www.hokiesvshoos.com.
The Food Fight kicks off this year with a pre-game and game watching party at Champps at Stony Point Fashion Park. This party starts at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 24, the night of the first Virginia Tech-University of Virginia basketball game. Fans can bring food donations to drop in the Hokies’ or ‘Hoos’ collection boxes, enjoy appetizer and drink specials, and then stay to watch the game, which tips off at 8:00 p.m.
Online donations can be made between January 24 and midnight February 12, the night of the second Virginia Tech-University of Virginia basketball game.
Hokies vs. ‘Hoos title sponsor, MARTIN’s, will have collection boxes in their Central Virginia stores beginning on Monday, January 28. Donations can be made at these boxes through Sunday, February 10. Financial donations can also be made at any MARTIN’s register.
Several local middle and high schools and YMCA locations will also join the “fight” to collect food donations.
The following branches of the Greater Richmond YMCA will also participate in the Hokies vs. ‘Hoos Food Fight by accepting donations from January 24 through February 10: Chester Family YMCA, Chickahominy Family YMCA, Downtown YMCA, Goochland Family YMCA, James Center YMCA, John Rolfe Family YMCA, Manchester Family YMCA, Midlothian Family YMCA, Northside Family YMCA, Patrick Henry Family YMCA, Petersburg Family YMCA, Elizabeth Randolph Lewis Powhatan YMCA, Shady Grove Family YMCA, Swift Creek Family YMCA, Tuckahoe Family YMCA.
Each food item donated in the Hokies vs. ‘Hoos bins will count for one point, and every dollar donated during the Food Fight will count for five points.
The score between those who support the Hokies and those who support the ‘Hoos will be updated throughout the competition at www.hokiesvshoos.com and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 19.
“Hunger has a cure, and that cure is all of us working together as a region by supporting food and fund drives like Hokies vs. ‘Hoos,” says Baldwin.
Entering its ninth year, the ‘Hoos lead the overall series, five wins to three.
For additional information, please feel free to contact Katherine Keogh, Hokies vs. ‘Hoos Food Fight Coordinator for the University of Virginia Club of Richmond, at (804) 814-2428.
FeedMore is the core hunger-relief organization for Central Virginia made up of the Central Virginia Food Bank, Meals on Wheels Serving Central Virginia and the Community Kitchen. Working together to efficiently and effectively fight hunger to enhance lives in our community, the FeedMore programs provide hunger relief to our region’s most vulnerable populations, particularly children, families and seniors.
A correction has been made since originally publishing this story. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 19, not Thursday, February 14, as originally reported. -DTSP STAFF
