With the holiday season fast approaching, the MSU Athletics Department and Division of Residential and Hospitality Services are making the last big push in the fourth annual Help Tackle Hunger Food Drive. The program, which started Nov. 8 and concludes on Saturday, will benefit the MSU Student Food Bank, located in 151 Olin Health Center, and the Greater Lansing Food Bank, 919 Filley St., in Lansing.

The greatest need exists for nonperishable food items such as canned foods, including fruits, meats and soups, boxed meals, pasta, rice and peanut butter, MSU Associate Athletics Director John Lewandowski said.

Students and fans of Spartan football are encouraged to bring items to help people in the community in a time of need, Lewandowski said.

“We’re hitting that time of year when those items are depleted,” Lewandowski said. “We’re hoping to make a last push before a capacity crowd on Saturday — make that last plea for people to kind of help those in need on game day. (It’s important because) you’re helping to provide nonperishable items to those in your own back yard.”

Donations made before Saturday will be donated to the MSU Student Food Bank, while game day donations will benefit the Greater Lansing Food Bank, Lewandowski said. He said the program has collected 5,500 pounds in donations during the last two years and has a goal of around 5,000 pounds this year.

And for the food banks involved, the food drive serves as an opportunity to increase supplies as well as raise awareness of their cause.

Terry Link, executive director of the Greater Lansing Food Bank, said the event is one of the larger food drives it has. In the past, the food drive has raised as much as 2,000 pounds of food for the food bank and it’s hoping to at least match that number this year, Link said.

“It brings in additional food and raises general awareness in the community that they have neighbors that are struggling to make it,” Link said. “There’s a lot of people that are coming to the football game that are not from this area and bringing food — it increases the radius of the folks that are helping us. It’s an extra bonus that makes this unique.”

Link said the Greater Lansing Food Bank reaches out to close to 50,000 people each year and he is thankful for MSU offering this opportunity to help those who are less fortunate.

Volunteers will be placed at collection points near Spartan Stadium, Munn Field and near tailgating in Lot 89 and donations can be dropped off there.

As Spartan football players prepared to take on Purdue, several players emphasize the importance of giving back to the community. Senior wide receiver Mark Dell said giving back speaks volumes about MSU and being part of the program is something to be proud of.

“Giving back is definitely one of the things we really think is very important,” Dell said. “(We’re) helping out kids and people who are less fortunate, who aren’t able to get as much as we’re getting. To give back to them is a great thing. It always shows, you never know what situation you can be in so it’s always important to give back and give thanks.”