Editor\u2019s Note: The State Hornet participates in and receives donations through Give Sac State Day. This factor had no influence on our reporting. <\/p>\n
Give Sac State Day<\/a> brought together students, alumni, faculty and community members to raise funds for campus programs and student services. The annual 36-hour fundraising event for Sacramento State highlights areas across campus that rely on philanthropic support, including scholarships, academic departments and basic needs programs for students.<\/p>\n Michael Reza, vice president for University Advancement, said the event serves as the university\u2019s largest annual fundraising effort and helps connect donors with programs that directly impact students. The campaign focuses the university\u2019s energy on encouraging alumni and community members to directly support campus programs of their choice.<\/p>\n \u201cGive Sac State Day is our biggest giving day of the year,\u201d Raza said. \u201cIt\u2019s a chance to highlight all the good things that happen on campus and invite our alumni and friends and donors to support our students and faculty.\u201d<\/p>\n RELATED: META invests in Sacramento State\u2019s Capital Campus project, sparking community questions<\/a><\/p>\n Sac State Give Day also supports scholarships and academic programs across campus. Donations help fund programs like paid internships, mentorship opportunities and hands-on learning experiences. These initiatives aim to prepare students for future careers while strengthening academic programs and workforce pathways across the university, according to the Give Sac State Day website.<\/p>\n Numerous student services are showing out to highlight the need for more support on campus. This includes the Associated Students Inc. Food Pantry<\/a> and the Basic Needs Resource Center<\/a>, located at The Well. These programs offer help for students facing food insecurity, housing fears or other financial challenges while in college.<\/p>\n Aranjot Kaur, ASI president, said access to basic resources plays a crucial role in keeping students focused on their education and completing their degrees. Kaur said the goal of these services is ensuring students do not have to pick between basic needs and continuing their academic studies.<\/p>\n \u201cBasic needs are one of the most important things in ensuring that our students continue in their academic journey with stability,\u201d Kaur said. \u201cStudents shouldn\u2019t have to choose between a degree or really worrying about having a roof over their head or even where their next meal is coming from.\u201d<\/p>\n Kaur said the university committed $100,000 toward basic needs initiatives, $50,000 for the food pantry and basic needs resource center each. The contribution will directly support programs that help students access food and other essential resources, Kaur said.<\/p>\n Ryan Choi the ASI student services manager who oversees the ASI Food Pantry, said demand for the service has grown significantly over the past several years. As more students seek assistance, the Food Pantry needs more support. The Food Pantry presently serves around 700 students each week, compared to 2022, when they served 400 students each week on average, Choi said.<\/p>\n Choi said fundraising efforts during Give Sac State Day will support improvements to the pantry. The goal is to help the pantry operate more efficiently and expand services for students.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to raise $39,000 to purchase an additional set of after-hours lockers,\u201d Choi said. \u201cWe would really like a refrigerated set for our students who want to grab produce, eggs and dairy.\u201d<\/p>\n Continued community support is vital to the pantry\u2019s ability to serve students, Choi said, emphasizing its heavy reliance on donations.<\/p>\n \u201cNone of your tuition dollars goes toward funding the ASI Food Pantry,\u201d Choi said. \u201cIt is all state basic needs money and all money we fundraise in house.\u201d<\/p>\n Give Sac State Day also hosted a donation match challenge called the Student Basic Needs Matching Challenge<\/a>. Participants can donate to meet the goal of matching the donation from Sac State. The money will be split between the Associated Student Inc Food Pantry and the Student Basic Needs Center, according to the website.<\/p>\n