Waltham Group brings community together for annual ‘Halloween for the Hungry’

Halloween for the Hungry participantsPhoto/The Waltham Group

An archival photo of two 1994 Halloween for the Hungry participants

Brandeis students got an early start on trick-or-treating this year – but not to collect chocolates and sugary treats. More than 120 community members joined forces on Sunday night to canvas Brandeis’ surrounding neighborhoods and collect canned goods as part of Halloween for the Hungry, an annual food collection drive now in its 31st year.

The effort is one of the most popular, hands-on community service events on campus. Since its inception in 1987, Halloween for the Hungry has collected more than 100,000 cans.

Participants this year, which also included a local Girl Scout troop, collected nearly 1,500 food items. The proceeds benefit the Middlesex Human Service Agency, which runs the Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen and two local shelters.

Tamar Lieberman ’19, a Waltham Group coordinator who has participated in the annual effort throughout her time at Brandeis, organized this year’s Halloween for the Hungry campaign.

“It’s an activity at Brandeis that has a real, tangible impact on the community,” said Lieberman. “I like that this is something I can do now to make a difference – I don’t have to wait for a future career to make a positive impact.”

Director of Community Service Lucas Malo, who oversees the Waltham Group, added that he was impressed with the initiative taken by his student leaders.

“Year after year, the Waltham Group’s Hunger and Homelessness students continue to amaze me in their coordination of this annual tradition,” he said. “This event is the perfect illustration of communities at Brandeis and the residents of Waltham coming together to address community needs as one team.”

Categories: General, Student Life

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