COUGARS ‘CAN DO’ SPIRIT

UH Takes on Big 12 Rival WVU in Friendly Food Donation Contest Oct. 9–13

Oct. 9, 2023– The University of Houston Cougars can accomplish anything once they set their minds to a specific goal. During the days leading up to the Big 12 football match-up between UH and West Virginia University, the campus community will set its sights on beating its new conference rival off the field.

Both universities are engaged in the Big 12 Food Pantry Challenge, a friendly competition that will stock the shelves of both UH’s Cougar Cupboard and WVU’s Student Food Pantry. The campus that collects the most donations (both canned/non-perishable items and monetary contributions) between Oct. 9 and 13 will emerge victorious.

Regardless of which institution raises the most donations, pantries (and most importantly, students) at both UH and WVU will come out as winners.

Canned food and non-perishable items can be donated at:

• Cougar Cupboard 2, Farish Hall room 160 (3657 Cullen Blvd.)
• UH Alumni Association, Athletics Alumni Center room 201 (3204 Cullen Blvd.)
• TDECU Stadium before the UH v. WVU football game on Thursday, Oct. 12
• Purchase a UH v. WVU football game ticket and 50% of the ticket cost will be donated to Cougar Cupboard.
• Monetary donations also are accepted. Details on how and what to give to the Cougar Cupboard are available on its website.

UH’s Cougar Cupboard opened in 2020 as an effort to counter food insecurity among students. The Cupboard partners with the Houston Food Bank’s Food for Change Market network and provides food and general household goods to UH undergraduate and graduate students. Last year, Cougar Cupboard distributed more than 190,000 pounds of food. To receive items from the Cougar Cupboard, students must apply for a Houston Food Bank Food Scholarship. Cougar Cupboard 2 in 160 Farish Hall also is available to students and is a partnership with the College of Education’s PEEPS Pantry.

The school with the most donations will be announced the week of Oct. 16.

Text “Cupboard” to 71-777 or