Finding ways to help others this past holiday season, the Academy of Art University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee united through a canned food drive. December saw Urban Knights and their families join together in donating more than 1,100 cans to local food banks.

Following a successful "Virtual Book Party" which supported the Homeless Children's Network, ART U SAAC discussed organizing one final collaborative event of 2020 at its November meeting. Aligning with the season's spirit of giving, a canned food drive felt appropriate.

"I think donating was especially important this year with people dealing with various hardships that are out of their control," said ART U SAAC Co-President Celena Davison from volleyball and track & field. "Overall, it was a great success with just over 1,100 cans getting donated throughout the month of December by ART U student-athletes and their families."

Making efforts to donate to local entities regardless of their respective locations in the world, Academy of Art student-athletes documented their trips and team totals were tracked to add a competitive element. Accounting for varying team sizes, the end result was volleyball with the highest percentage as 17 student-athletes combined to donate 417 cans.

Men's cross country and women's basketball were not far behind volleyball. The ART U men's distance crew gathered 100 cans while women's hoops collected 216 for the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.

Baseball also donated more than 200 cans, boxed goods, and toiletries to the Jewish Family and Children's Services of San Francisco, the Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico (Matthew Sanchez), and the Santee Food Bank (Andrew Shebloski).

Men's basketball and women's track & field combined for more than 100 cans while the single largest individual donation came from softball's Haley Arnold-Jolley. She submitted a grand total of 44 cans to the Brentwood Community Chest.

Once again demonstrating the significant positive impact that can be achieved through combined efforts, ART U SAAC's canned food drive closed 2020 on a generous note.