RORY MACLEAN
News Editor

The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union Food Centre is having its annual Halloween food drive, Trick-or-Eat.

Volunteers dress up in costume and go door to door on Halloween night, but instead of asking for candy, they ask for donations of non-perishable food items for the Food Bank. This year, the Food Centre will also be accepting donations of cash.

Participants may not be asking for candy, but according to Food Centre coordinator Kalen Ross, volunteers often go home with plenty of it, since the Food Bank does not accept candy.

“That’s all yours to keep,” he said. “It’s a good excuse to go trick or treating again. And it’s done by 8 p.m., so if you have plans that night it won’t interfere, and you’ll already be dressed up so you can go out from there.”

“It’s done by 8 p.m., so if you have plans that night it won’t interfere, and you’ll already be dressed up so you can go out from there.”
-Kalen Ross

Groups are split into teams under a name of their choosing. The group that brings in the most donations wins a prize, though Ross won’t give away exactly what it is.

Last year the Food Centre’s 305 volunteers managed to raise approximately $21,000 in food donations, or about five tonnes of non-perishable food items. All together, it was enough for about 8,748 meals.

The Food Centre will be joined by groups across the country in the event, organized nationally by Meal Exchange.

Ross says Halloween is an ideal time to raise food donations because residents are already expecting to give things to people who come to their door.

“It’s just convenient,” he said. “If you have a little brother or sister, niece or nephew you can take them trick or treating and do it at the same time.”