When HBA1 student Liam Laughlin and his teammates checked out at Costco with cart after cart of canned chickpeas, tuna, and mushrooms, it took 20 minutes for the cashier to count every item. One shopper, noticing their haul, asked jokingly if he could keep just one can of chickpeas for his own family.
“We cleared the shelves – all of the tuna was gone – and then we went to another store. Over the past couple of days, we spent four or five hours like that, getting all this stuff,” he said. “The moment that stood out to me was how comical it was going to Costco with these big trolleys stacked to the rim with food … Another thing that stood out was the sheer amount of work it is.”
The shopping trips were part of this year’s Ivey Cup Food Drive, which brought in about 35,000 non-perishable items – enough to fill 25 pallets for the London Food Bank, nearly double last year’s total of 13. Laughlin is an HBA1 Ivey Cup rep for Section 4.
A competition with a cause
The food drive is one event in the Ivey Cup Challenge, a long-running competition between HBA1 sections that also includes events like dodgeball and golf. Sections earn points throughout the year, with the top three receiving prize money for section activities. The food drive carried more points than any other Ivey Cup event this semester, raising the stakes for each section.
Many sections went beyond bringing in items from home, pooling money and sending teams out to buy food in bulk. Laughlin’s section raised roughly $2,500 in the first few days of the drive. After learning that a rival section had already filled three storage bins, they rallied to raise another $3,500 overnight.
(Photo above) Some of the many boxes of food collected by Ivey students
Prioritizing nutritious donations
The sections were scored on both how much they collect and what kinds of items they donate. Nutritious items such as canned vegetables and fruit, tuna and salmon, peanut butter, lentils, chickpeas, and healthy cereals were worth more points than standard pantry items, while ramen was worth half a point. The sections could also earn bonus points for donating the most unique item and building a themed sculpture from their collected food.
The initiative was led by HBA2 students Olivia Fedrigoni and Danae Jan, Ivey Cup coordinators, alongside Breanna Skelly, director of the Ivey Cup.
Fedrigoni said they made nutritious staples such as tuna worth more points this year so the sections would prioritize items families can use to make meals.
“That was a new thing we did this year, just to make sure we drove home the point that families survive on these donations,” she said.
Fedrigoni worked at Mars, the global snack food, food product, and pet care company, this past summer. Mars partners with a local food bank, and touring its operations showed her how companies and individuals can make a difference just by contributing what they have.
“We wanted to really drive home the community aspect and how we’re doing it for the food bank,” she said. “Just being able to use our wealth, knowledge, and resources for this is something super special.”
Laughlin said the drive also showed him how much food the money raised could buy.
“The amount of food that $6,000 can buy is ridiculous,” he said. “It's also valuable to think about how people would actually interact with the items from the food drive”
From donations to sculptures
The students then spent hours sorting and hauling donations back to campus, where some of the food was turned into sculptures. Among others, this year’s creations included a dinosaur, a shark, and a football field.
The most unique item went to Section 2, which put together a birthday cake kit – complete with cake mix, icing, candles, and a card written on behalf of the section.
“The fact that they got so excited about it and really took on this challenge has been so heartwarming to see. It makes us happy that they took it so seriously, and that we're able to give back to the London community," said Fedrigoni.
Why the drive matters
Fedrigoni said the food drive had been her favourite Ivey Cup event as an HBA1 student, so helping run it this year felt full-circle.
“Our goal was to make sure we actually help make a difference in the community, but also tie it into something fun where the students get to know each other a bit better,” she said. “It's honestly so heartwarming just seeing everybody bond together. It makes me feel like I'm an HBA1 again.”
Skelly credited the HBA1 class and section reps with driving the effort.
“Full credit goes to the 10 HBA1 Ivey Cup reps for all the effort they put into fundraising, as well as getting all of the food,” she said. “The HBA1 class as a whole put an extraordinary effort into this, and none of this would have been possible without each of their efforts.”
The donation came at a critical time for the London Food Bank's Thanksgiving campaign.
“This generous contribution from the Ivey Cup Food Drive gives the Thanksgiving campaign a wonderful boost. It helps us provide food for individuals and families facing difficult choices between groceries and other essentials,” said Jane Roy, the food bank’s co-executive director. “Thanksgiving is about sharing what we have, and these students are putting that spirit into action. Just as meaningful is seeing students carry this tradition forward year after year. They are showing that leadership includes caring for your community. That gives us both practical help today and real hope for the future.”
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