The Criminal Justice Club at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith received over 500 pounds of canned food donations in a month-long food drive which took place in September.

 

The 620 pounds of food, which was loaded onto a food truck Oct. 3 and taken to the River Valley Regional Food Bank, was the result of nearly a month of work publicizing the food drive and gathering the donations.

 

Kristen Sudar of Fort Smith, president of the Criminal Justice Club, said they were happy with the results of the drive.

 

“I feel like we did a good job advertising and letting people know about the drive,” she said.

 

This was the second annual food drive for the Criminal Justice Club, which hosted one last year when Dr. Dennis Williams of Fort Smith, assistant professor of criminal justice at UAFS and adviser of the club, saw a news story about food bank shortages during the summer and early fall seasons.

 

“I thought that this would be something the club could help out with,” he said. “And it took off from there.”

 

Last year’s food drive received 1,100 pounds of canned foods, a total which Criminal Justice Club Vice President Steven Ball of Fort Smith said the club “really wanted to beat.”

 

Although they didn’t meet their goal, Williams said the drive was still a success.

 

“According to the food bank, one pound equals one meal,” he said. “While we fell short of our goal, I think without a doubt 620 meals for people who are hungry is a success.”

 

The club has also organized two more efforts to add to the amount of food donations. They will collect cans at a movie showing on campus later this month, and Sudar and Ball, both Southside High School graduates, have also coordinated a food drive with the Southside High School Band.

 

While the criminal justice field of study might not seem to be directly linked to canned food drives, Williams said the latter plays an important role in the development of criminal justice majors.

 

“The motto for many law enforcement offices is to ‘protect and serve,’” he said. “Students come to our program, and we teach them about how the criminal justice system works, but it’s through the Criminal Justice Club and projects like the food drive that we are able to focus on the ‘serve’ portion of that motto.”

 

The River Valley Regional Food Bank distributes to over 190 organizations throughout the area. For more information about the River Valley Regional Food Bank, visit their website atwww.rivervalleyfoodbank.com.

 

For more information on the Criminal Justice Club, contact Williams by phone at 479-788-7332 or by email at dennis.williams@uafs.edu.