The ASU Commission on the Status of Women is gearing up for its food drive across ASU’s four campuses to benefit local nonprofits in the community.

The food drive will be running from Feb. 15 to March 24, with drop-off points on all campuses. The organization is hoping to gather $2,000 between food and monetary donations.

Karen Engler, the coordinator for the commission, said the organization has a community outreach program every spring. However, this year’s food drive has the option for people to donate money online.

“We’re really excited for people to get involved, and we think we’re going to receive a lot of support from the ASU community like always,” Engler said.

All donations on the Tempe campus will benefit the Salvation Army in Tempe.

Salvation Army Captain Stephanie Bridgeo said any food donations are appreciated, but the organization needs monetary donations also.

“With $3 we’re able to provide enough food for a whole family for two days,” she said.

Jennifer Hartmark-Hill, who is involved in the outreach committee for the commission, said one reason the Salvation Army is the choice for the Tempe donations is because it’s a place where students who are struggling are going to find resources.

“The Salvation Army let us know their demographics are including a lot of young adults, many of them students,” she said. “[The organization] is also right in our backyard, and we really wanted to pick a place that would benefit people from our community as well.”

Bridgeo said the clientele demographic Salvation Army works with has changed dramatically over the past year-and-a-half.

“It’s really different. We’re seeing many more young adults,” she said. “It’s people you wouldn’t expect, people who have never had to ask for help in their whole life.”

Bridgeo said the organization hands out boxes of food to people with homes and bag lunches to people without a residence.

“Since August we’ve gone from handing out about 45 bag lunches a day to over a 100,” she said.

ASU Commission for the Status of Women plans to donate items from the Downtown campus to the Salvation Army Phoenix Citadel and items from the West campus will be given to St. Mary’s Food Bank. The Polytechnic campus committee has yet to determine where it will be sending its donations.

“Most food banks have been experiencing shortages, and we’re really just trying to do our part to help members of our communities,” Egan said.

Bridgeo said if the commission reached its goal of donated items, it would really benefit the Salvation Army.

“We’re less than halfway through the month, and we only have $400 left to help people pay rent,” she said. “That’s enough to help two people. We either dip into March or hope more donations come in so we can help more people.”

Reach the reporter at sheydt@asu.edu