Nov. 5, 2012 – Roughly 472,000 Utahns risk missing a meal every day, and one in five Utah children is unsure where they will get their next meal. Students and alumni at the University of Utah have long been committed to doing their part to improve these sobering statistics.

Consequently, the University of Utah Alumni Association, Student Alumni Board, the MUSS Board and other volunteers have organized the 2012 Unrivaled Rivalry Food Drive, Nov. 5 through Nov. 24, to collect food and donations on behalf of the Utah Food Bank.

For 18 years, the U and Brigham Young University challenged each other in the Rivalry Food Drive. Preferring to go in a different direction this year with its food drive efforts, BYU has withdrawn from the Rivalry Food Drive. In the absence of a rivalry however, U food drive organizers are determined to keep the holiday tradition alive by challenging everyone in Salt Lake City, including businesses, to join in the fight against hunger in Utah. The U aims to exceed the 421,000 pounds of food and $108,000 it collected in 2011.

From Nov. 5 to Nov. 24, people are encouraged to support the cause in these ways:

• New this year: Text the word “Utah” to 50555 to make a $10 gift that will appear on your cell phone bill.
• Monetary donations can also be made online at www.alumni.utah.edu/fooddrive.
• Mail a check payable to the Utah Food Bank to: Unrivaled Rivalry Food Drive, University of Utah Alumni Association, 155 S. Central Campus Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84112.
• Drop off food at one of the following locations:
  • Utah Food Bank, 3150 South 900 West. Please indicate that the donation is part of the Unrivaled Rivalry Food Drive.
  • University of Utah Alumni House, 155 S. Central Campus Drive
  • LDS Institute of Religion, adjacent to the University of Utah, 1780 E. South Campus Drive

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:

The Alumni Association is dedicated to forging and preserving life-long relationships with alumni, students and the community. More about membership, news and events is online at www.alumni.utah.edu.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH:

The University of Utah, located in Salt Lake City in the foothills of the Wasatch Range, is the flagship institution of higher learning in Utah. Founded in 1850, it serves more than 32,000 students from across the United States and the world. With more than 100 major subjects at the undergraduate level and more than 90 major fields of study at the graduate level, including law and medicine, the university prepares students to live and compete in the global workplace. Learn more about all the U has to offer online at http://www.utah.edu.