Food pantry fundraising, Coin Wars and feeding senior citizens are all part of the daily volunteer opportunities during November.

Graduate Assitant DaNaya Burnett said Eastern’s efforts are part of a nationwide volunteer effort in November to fight hunger during Hunger Action month.

“We have various activities, there is at least one thing to do everyday of the month of November,” Burnett said.

Burnett said last year Eastern donated over $900 to food pantries during the month, and one of the goals is to beat last year’s fundraising goal.

The opportunities vary from helping at food pantries to fact Fridays, where on social media there would be facts about hunger in the Charleston area and in the world.

Crystal Brown, assistant director for civic engagement and volunteerism, said when students work in the food pantries and do direct service; they can get first-hand experience working with families in poverty.

Brown said there will be opportunities during Thanksgiving Break.

There is a mobile food pantry happening at one of the local food pantries, and transportation will be offered.

“Monday through Friday we have something different going on everyday, whether it is the direct service off-campus, fundraisers on-campus or just education facts like Fact Friday,” Brown said.

Brown said Eastern would be working with three local food pantries: The Charleston Food Pantry, Standing Stone and the Newman Center.

Burnett said there would also be two food fundraisers at local food establishments; one at Brickhouse on Thursday and one at Monical’s Pizza on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

“Monical’s will donate 20 percent and Brickhouse will donate 10 percent of your bill,” Burnett said

Burnett said there would be Stuff the Steps where people on campus can bring canned goods and stuff it on the Doudna steps so it can be donated.

“All the proceeds for the month will go to local food pantries in the area,” Burnett said.

Burnett said Coin Wars would take place every day of the month, jars have been delivered to different departments on campus so the departments can compete to fill the jars will change.

“The departments are going to try to fill up their jars with coins, every week we will check in and see how much they have raised, and the winning department will get a pizza party,” Burnett said.

Brown said students could get educated through social media, by giving back and volunteering for bake sales and working at food pantries.

“Every dollar we donate to the local food pantries they can turn around and buy $10 worth of food for families in need, and it goes farther than us just giving them canned items,” Brown said.

Brown said despite this month offering different opportunities for service hours the point of hunger action month is to educate and get students to learn more about hunger in the world, as well as getting involved.

“If students want to come out and serve with us at those sights off-campus we would love to have their support,” Brown said.

Brown said the point of Hunger Action Month is to educate on poverty and food insecurity.

“We want to provide students with an opportunity to be educated about hunger issues, poverty and food insecurities in a variety of different ways, whether it be helping at food pantries or working with seniors who can’t get out and get a meal,” Brown said.

AJ Fournier can be reached at 581-2812 or ajfournier@eiu.edu.