UTRGV Parking and Transportations Services will have the Kindness for Cans program through Friday where students can donate food in exchange for a parking citation removal.
Pablo Aguilar, director of Parking Services, explained that the purpose of the program is to help students who are experiencing hunger or food insecurities.
He said the program seeks to find a way to help students through these issues as collected food cans will be donated to the UTRGV Student Food Pantry.
“The Student Food Pantry does a wonderful job with providing this year-round for students,” Aguilar said. “And there’s need, like, in every area, every part and every university.”
He said the program would benefit students that visit the food pantry since it is donating additional resources and is available for the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses.
“There is actually no limit on the donations or on the citation removals,” Aguilar said.
He said students can donate 10 canned-food items for each citation removal plus all of its fees.
“We have had many students and, actually, faculty and staff as well, just donate because they’re seeing this initiative and they’ve seen the benefits of it,” Aguilar said.
He encourages students to donate even if they do not have any outstanding citations.
Aguilar said it is the fourth year of the Kindness for Cans and they have collected about seven tons of food.
“It has really made a difference with the quantity of donations … and [I] just thank the people that are going to participate beforehand because it really makes a change,” he said.
Felipe Zamora, a management senior and student assistant in Campus Auxiliary Services, said he was aware about the Kindness for Cans program and its benefits.
“It’s a great benefit … because it all goes back to the students, you know, later on,” Zamora said. “… I will make some donations as well, whatever I can do.”
Integrated health science freshman Vivian Martinez said although she was not aware of the program, it benefits students.
“Because, sometimes, when you’re just trying to get to class, you just park wherever,” Martinez said. “… So, I think it’s really helpful that they have this, so that [students] can get rid of that particular citation.”
She said she is interested in donating food.
“I just like to help people,” Martinez said. “[It is] part of the reason why I wanted to be a nurse.”
Students can turn in their donations to the Parking and Transportation Services office on each campus, located at Academic Support Facility Room 135 on the Edinburg campus and Vaquero Plaza Room 1.101A on the Brownsville campus.
For more information about what canned food is accepted for donations and which parking tickets qualify for removal, visit utrgv.edu/parking.
