Before they clash in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the Â鶹ӳ»´«Ã½ and Baylor University will join together and give back to their host communities in Arizona.<\/p>\n
From 10:15 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Dec. 31, members of the two spirit squads will join with fans from both schools to pack meals for hungry residents. Â鶹ӳ»´«Ã½ and Baylor fans will work side-by-side at the St. Mary\u2019s Food Bank Alliance warehouse in Phoenix.<\/p>\n
From to 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, other members of the two spirit squads and mascots Knightro and Bruiser will visit Phoenix Children\u2019s Hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix, to meet with children and their families.<\/p>\n
\u201cServing others is an important part of our Â鶹ӳ»´«Ã½ culture, whether we are in Orlando or Arizona,\u201d said Maribeth Ehasz, Â鶹ӳ»´«Ã½\u2019s vice president for Student Development and Enrollment Services. \u201cWe look forward to joining our friends from Baylor to help provide food for families in need and bring smiles to the faces of children who are spending the holidays in the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Tostitos Fiesta Bowl may be the primary reason we have traveled to Phoenix but it is not the sole reason,\u201d said Kevin Jackson, vice president for Student Life at Baylor University. \u201cAs Baylor Bears, it is in our DNA to serve others who are in need.\u00a0It will be especially meaningful to do so alongside Â鶹ӳ»´«Ã½ fans.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Mary\u2019s Food Bank Alliance, the world\u2019s first food bank, distributes emergency food boxes at no cost to individuals and families in need. The boxes are designed to provide temporary food assistance during times of crisis, and recipients include the elderly, children, working families and the homeless.<\/p>\n
The food bank event will be held at the St. Mary\u2019s warehouse at 2831 N. 31st Ave., Phoenix, and it will begin with a 10:15 a.m. safety briefing. Participants will pack meals from 10:30 a.m. until noon. The warehouse is only about a 10-minute drive from downtown Phoenix hotels where many fans will be staying.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe congratulate Baylor and Â鶹ӳ»´«Ã½ on fantastic seasons and welcome their students, administrators and fans to the Valley of the Sun and the Fiesta Bowl,\u201d St. Mary\u2019s President and CEO Beverly Damore said. \u201cOne in five Arizonans and one in four of our children don\u2019t know where their next meals will come from, so we are excited and blessed that Bears and Knights fans have chosen to join us in the fight against hunger in Arizona. Thank you and we will see you all on Dec. 31 as we work side by side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Â鶹ӳ»´«Ã½ and Baylor fans ages 12 and older are invited to participate, and space will be limited to 60 people per school.<\/p>\n