A year ago I was trying to do it all- taking
a full and heavy course load, being Senate Secretary/ Superhero, having an
internship, and trying to have more of a social life than I had ever had
before. During the thanksgiving holiday season, everyone has food drives. Last
year was no exception. With everything going on, it was hard to know who to
help and where to turn.
A year ago I was interning for Pushing the
Envelope (PTE), a mixed marketing communication firm in Fort Myers, FL. I
served as their social media intern, which was the best learning experience I
had during my undergraduate career. Around this time, Samantha came in with the
idea for a food drive called "CAN IT! Putting Hunger in its Place this Thanksgiving." All of
the food would be donated to Community Cooperative Ministries Incorporated
(CCMI). The whole team got on board, including the two interns, and even though
it turned into an internal competition, it was about so much more than that. In
six weeks, the team donated more than 500 cans to CCMI. The internal winner?
Alex Fernandez. The guy who is now my boyfriend.
This year, Pushing the Envelope is doing it again. Welcome to CAN IT! 2012.
Even though I'm in Alabama working on my master's degree, I'm still determined to make a difference and
donate to the CAN IT food drive. Not just because I want my boyfriend to have
continued bragging rights, but because I know the difference it makes in the
community. I know the difference one can or box of food can make. That's a
meal. And one meal makes the difference between going hungry or having a full
stomach when you go to bed. It really does matter.
I know there are a million different food
drives going on this Thanksgiving, but if you're not donating to other food
drives, donate to CAN IT! And if you really want to be awesome, donate on
behalf of Alex and help him win again :) But in all seriousness, I urge you to
help in any way you can. In Alabama, I'm going to be participating in a canned
food drive called "Beat Auburn Beat Hunger," but when I make a trip
down to Fort Myers, I'll be making a stop at Target so I can donate to CAN IT!
Pushing the Envelope works hard for their
clients, but they also work hard to make a difference in their community. As an
intern, I appreciated the hard work they put into CAN IT last year. I think
it's awesome that they're doing it again this year...and that they have a
bigger goal.
PTE's goal this year is to collect 1,000 cans
for CCMI, and they have several drop-off locations around Southwest Florida.
For drop off locations and more information, visit the CANI IT page on their website.
If you're like me and have a pantry full of
food you'll probably never eat, donate those extra cans and non-perishables to
PTE's CAN IT food drive. Also, take advantage of those BOGO deals at your local
grocery store. With all of these opportunities, there's no reason for people to
go hungry this Thanksgiving. Give others the opportunity to go to bed full and
help those in need this holiday season.
If you want to get involved by donating or
hosting a drop-off location, call 239-221-2858 or email info@getpushing.com
