Community Service

Your Bruins of the South Bay (BSB) group has selected the UCLA Community Programs Office Food Closet as its Community Program of choice.

In July 2016, the Los Angeles Times featured a story on food scarcity for many UC students- it’s an eye opening read.  [ Click on the link above to read it ]

Every fall, during all UCLA Bruins Away Football Games, we request that attendees to the Watch parties bring a food item for collection (please see Costco List Attached).

If you would like to become involved, please join our BSB Food Closet committee and email us at bruinsofsouthbay@gmail.com.

UCLA Community Programs Office (CPO) Food Closet Home Page

Click here to donate online to this worthy cause.

Dropoff Locations! In case you can’t meet us at one of the Saturday TV Watch parties, please contact one of the Committee Members below to arrange a drop-off:

 

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Bruins of the South Bay (BSB) have adopted the ASUCLA Food Closet as a community service project after a site visit by three Board members and discussions with the Community Programs Office (CPO) staff and volunteers.  Founded by the CPO’s director, Antonio Sandoval, when he was a student, the CPO operated Food Closet works to provide UCLA students of limited economic means a source of food, basic home and personal items in case of financial shortfall or even homelessness.

The CPO Food Closet is an entirely student organized and operated project.  A Los Angeles Times article this summer exposed the plight of college students suffering from hunger and highlighted the UCLA Food Closet as a response to the problem.  The article looked at the impact of hunger on students’ lives and performance in their studies and efforts by the Food Closet to meet student needs.  We, Bruins of the South Bay, want to support this excellent, thoughtful,much needed project.

Located inside the Community Programs Office enclave at the UCLA Student Activity Center (the renovated former Men’s Gymnasium as senior alumni might remember the building), the Food Closet itself is literally a walk-in closet.  It contains a small refrigerator to store perishables and shelves for canned, boxed and packaged goods.  Various food items are arrayed on the shelves for students in need to walk in and take what they need, no questions asked or identification required.  Most students who avail themselves of the food and other items live off campus or are effectively homeless.  Food donations tend to be variable in range and quantity and there is need to secure a stable source of goods to support students.  Donations allowed the CPO to purchase a van to pick up food and related items, as well as provide emergency transportation to students in need.  BSB planning will focus on providing a stable flow off foodstuffs to the Closet.

At the site visit and meeting with the CPO staff and volunteers, Bruins of the South Bay’s representatives delivered a vanload of canned, boxed and packaged foodstuff.  More deliveries are planned through the coming year to continue support for our Bruins.  BSB will collect non-perishable food items at this season’s UCLA Football and UCLA Men’s Basketball TV Watch parties in El Segundo, and will arrange delivery of the items through the Community Programs Office.

Committee work will initially focus on collection of donated food and related items, but checks can be made out to Bruins of the South Bay, “Food Closet” on the memo line.  Bruins of the South Bay have fully incorporated as a non-profit organization and the IRS has certified the tax deductibility of donated funds.  Direct donation of funds will allow Bruins of the South Bay to work directly with the CPO on stocking the Food Closet.

Ms. YuChih Liou will chair and Ms. Sue Clamage will be vice-chair of the BSB Food Closet Committee, which will include two other new BSB volunteers, Francene Buzzell and Robin Patel, and three Board members. Sue has offered her Manhattan Beach home for committee meetings.  Bruin spirit and donations will be very welcome!

Dropoff Locations:  Please contact one of the Committee Members below to arrange a drop-off: