Don Neves, chairperson of the Idaho State Football Alumni Team, invites the public to visit with the F.A.T. guys at their tailgate party Oct. 7 when the Bengals play Montana in Pocatello. Oh, and bring food.
“We’re hoping that a lot of people will bring us canned goods and nonperishable food,” Neves said.
The food donations will go to Benny’s Pantry, which is a food bank that serves ISU students and their families.
F.A.T., a private group of Idaho State athletics boosters and supporters, will collect food donations from 11:30 a.m. when the tailgate begins until the game starts at 2:30 p.m.
F.A.T., which started in 1999 and has 225 members, also plans tailgate parties and food collection efforts at ISU’s next two home games after the Bengals play Montana, according to Neves.
“It’s just part of ISU F.A.T. mentality that we’re here to help,” Neves said. “We’ve been helping ISU athletics and we want to help those in the community as well.”
Any donations for Benny’s Pantry will be much appreciated, said Brooke Barber, who oversees the pantry in her role as director of orientation, leadership and service for ISU. She says the university has a high number of married students with children and it’s particularly helpful for them.
“We are very grateful to the Football Alumni Team and their desire to support the pantry at their tailgate,” Barber said.
The pantry opened in January 2014 after ISU first lady Laura Vailas inspired the program. Barber said Laura Vailas and the administration were aware that students were making difficult decisions.
“Students are balancing homework, part-time or full-time jobs and family life,” Barber said.
The second food pantry at the Idaho Falls campus opened after Benny’s Pantry. Now the two pantries provide thousands of pounds of food a year to hundred of students and their families.
Benny’s Pantry in Pocatello is in the bottom floor of the Pond Student Union in a discrete area near the game room.
Only those with a current ISU ID card can shop at the pantry and they can visit twice a month. A shopping guide determines the mount of food they receive based on household size.
All the food and money for the pantry is donated and no tuition dollars or student fees are used to support it, according to Barber.
Donors can also bring food to the campus connection desk at the Pond Student Union. Tax deductible monetary donations can be made through the ISU Foundation.
Barber said they’ve heard good feedback about the pantry.
“It’s been greatly utilized and we have wonderful anecdotal stories of the ways Benny’s Pantry has helped our students to thrive,” Barber said.
