Marquette Ending Hunger, a student organization at Northern Michigan University, is teaming up with the 32nd annual TV6 Canathon to collect non-perishable food items for food pantries and to raise awareness about hunger in the Upper Peninsula.

The group has set up collection bins for food donations that will remain in place through Thursday, Dec. 4. They are located in every building on NMU’s campus and in many U.P. schools and businesses. Marquette sites include Schwalbach’s Kitchens on Third Street, Tadych’s Econo Foods, The Window Store on Washington Street and Peter White Public Library.

“The TV6 Canathon is one of the largest donations of food that the Upper Peninsula sees every single year,” said Lauren Larsen, president of Marquette Ending Hunger.  “And if you think about it, Northern is about half the population of Marquette. So if we get the students, faculty and staff on board with this, while also reaching out beyond campus, we can really make a change. It’s important that we get a lot of donations to make the food last and feed those who are in need.”  

The student organization is running a social media challenge and a residence hall competition, in which the hall that collects the most non-perishable items wins a pizza party.