FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contacts 
Andrew Keating, Director of Communications, 406.657.1104, media@rocky.edu

RMC Student’s to Participate in Trick-Or-Treating Food Drive During Annual Halloween for Hunger Event

BILLINGS — On Tuesday, October 31, Billings residents to the north and west of the Rocky Mountain College campus will be visited by trick-or-treaters of a different age group – about 45 college students will be collecting non-perishable foods during the annual Halloween for Hunger event, hosted by RMC’s Offices of Community Engagement and Spiritual Life. The food drive will benefit Rose Park Elementary School and Family Service of Billings.

Several teams of four or five Rocky students will cover the area north of the campus, between Stanford Drive and Cactus Drive, as well as west of the campus, between 17th Avenue and Arvin Road. It is estimated that roughly 1,000 pounds of food will be collected during this year’s Halloween for Hunger. This will go a long way toward supporting the families that rely on Family Service and Rose Park Elementary School programs every year.

In 2016, Rose Park Elementary School reported that 106 students participated in the free and reduced lunch program and 13 students took food home on weekends. Additionally, eight students enrolled at Rose Park in 2016 were homeless.

22,575 Billings residents, representing 9,518 families, benefited from the wide variety of Family Service programs, according to a 2015-2016 report. Family Service has been active in Yellowstone County since 1906, providing assistance to struggling families and elders through vital essentials like food, clothing, rent and utilities.

The Halloween for Hunger event is being coordinated by Rocky sophomore Jessie Novak, who is studying art and art education. For this year’s drive, Novak’s emphasis is raising awareness for how limitations on access to food can influence a child’s education: “Being an educator means knowing that if a kid’s basic needs aren’t being met, they’re not going to be able to go to school and learn,” Novak said. “If we can help to meet these kids’ needs, then they’ll be able to better focus on learning and becoming successful members of society.”

The trick-or-treating will take place on Halloween between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. Residents outside of the designated residential area can still participate in the food drive. A collection area has been set up in the Bair Family Student Center lobby on the RMC campus and will be available for donations through November 5.

Residents within the designated trick-or-treating area will receive orange door hangers in advance of the event.

Attendees of the Saturday, November 4, Battlin’ Bears football game versus Eastern Oregon University can also contribute to the food drive in exchange for free admission. Three canned goods will equate to one individual entry to the game, and eight canned goods can be exchanged for family admission.

For more information, contact the RMC Office of Media and Communications: 406.657.1104 or media@rocky.edu.

--END--