New program forgives parking tickets in exchange for Cats’ Cupboard donations
Like tough finals, brag-worthy football games and 1 a.m. Varsity Truck trips, parking tickets are a rite of passage for most K-State students.
But thanks to a new initiative, students can clear their citations guilt-free — while making a difference for their peers.
While pesky, those yellow parking envelopes are trivial compared to the pressing issue of food insecurity on K-State’s campus. Seeing an opportunity to clear fines while filling pantries, the Student Governing Association partnered with K-State Parking Services and Cats’ Cupboard to offer citation forgiveness in exchange for pantry donations.
Through the new agreement, K-State Parking Services will allow students, along with faculty and staff, to reduce one parking citation per academic year by donating at least 10 non-perishable food items or hygiene products.
Andrew Le, a junior in political science and Student Governing Association senator, sold the idea to the new parking services director Adrienne Tucker and Shelly Williams, Morrison family director for Cats’ Cupboard, after the resolution failed to pass through senate last school year.
“We looked at other institutions across the country that have some similar programs, donations for citations, food for fines, whatever you call it,” Le said. “From there we proposed it again. We agreed that this program should be way more robust than it really was.”
When approached, Tucker felt compelled to help due to her own experience with food insecurity and passion for helping the K-State community.
“It is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart because I’ve been there,” she said. “And if there’s any way that I can help give back, then I’m all for it.”
“I’m really appreciative of SGA’s support for this, and the parking services support as well,” Williams said. “And the university administration has been really great at helping bring this to fruition.”
Written By: Abbigail Marshall
Curated from: https://kstatecollegian.com/2024/12/05/k-state-to-launch-donations-for-citations-program-in-2025/
