UT collected more than 15,495 pounds of goods throughout November during the SEC Game Winning Drive. UT finished in second place with the University of Alabama taking the top spot in the competition.
A friendly competition between SEC universities, the drive collects canned goods and other nonperishable food items to give back to communities in the southeast region of the United States throughout the holiday season. The food collected from UT will provide more than 18,500 meals to those in need.
This year, UT competed against the universities of Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Mississippi State. In total, the seven universities collected more than 96,505 pounds of donations providing 80,400 meals to those in need.
The Tower of Cans event during November’s Homecoming week collected approximately 19,000 cans, an estimated 14,850 pounds of food. Registration money from the event was donated to the winner’s charity of choice. Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Gamma Rho won the competition and donated the funds to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the YWCA.
All items collected on the UT campus have been donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank and other local area food pantries.
The SEC Game Winning Drive competition was started and is run by participating schools’ campus recreation departments.
In 2013, UT competed against the University of Kentucky during the first Game Winning Drive. The two schools collected 3,654 food items providing 2,360 meals to those in need.
In 2014, UT and Kentucky were joined by the universities of Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi State. The five schools collected 9,275 items providing 6,000 meals to those in need.