The City College athletics department recently made significant donations to the food pantry, which is administered by the college’s CalWORKS office, according to documentation found on the school’s website.

City College’s Athletic Director Kathy McGinnis explained that while the project originally started in the spring, the fall sports teams made this semester’s donations.

Teams included basketball, soccer, and cross-country (both men’s and women’s in each sport), women’s volleyball and the student athletic trainers, according to an e-mail message from McGinnis.

Those in charge of the donations decided to have the teams compete with one another.
The group that brought the most number of pounds for the pantry will enjoy a pizza party later this month.

While the athletic department collectively donated 800 pounds of food, the athletic trainers’ portion was the most of any team and weighed in at 264 pounds.

Members of the men’s basketball team helped deliver the donation Dec. 1.

Among the variety of items given to the food pantry were breakfast bars, Gatorade, and microwavable meals, McGinnis said.

“Contributions to the food bank from the athletics programs is a way for (athletics) to reach out to those less fortunate,” men’s basketball assistant coach Bob Andreasen noted. “In return (it) helps our department teach valuable life lessons to our student athletes.”

Commenting on the competition aspect of the donation, Andreasen said that it “allows for unity between the sports programs.”

Similar efforts, were undertaken in spring, when sports teams like baseball, softball, badminton and others donated over 1,000 pounds of the food to the pantry, McGinnis said.