ASU Family hosts annual free Thanksgiving meal for Sun Devils
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and ASU Family is hosting a free meal for students who are planning to spend the holiday on campus. Students remaining on campus are invited to celebrate the holiday with their ASU community and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal that will be served on Thursday, Nov. 24 at dining locations on all four ASU campuses.
Date: Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022
Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Tempe, 4 seatings), 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. (all other campuses)
Locations:
Downtown Phoenix campus: Taylor Place
Polytechnic campus: Citrus Dining Hall
Tempe campus: Tooker House
West campus: Verde Dinning Hall
Cost: Free and open to ASU students
Register here by November 16, 2022.
“ASU Family support for the Thanksgiving dinner program began in 2011, when we were able to serve approximately 100 students and has grown to serve more than 1,300 students in 2021,” said Robin Okun Hengl, Executive Director of Parent Engagement at ASU.
ASU Family partners with Aramark, ASU’s on-campus dining partner, to provide a Thanksgiving menu of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and extra desserts. Options will also be available for those with special dietary needs.
Many students who have attended the event through the years have expressed their gratitude to the event collaborators for providing a holiday meal for students to share in a setting that allows them to feel welcomed, cared for and connected to their ASU family.
Sun Devil parents have also acknowledged the importance of the annual Thanksgiving gathering.Kathy Czeranko, whose son Jimmy is a chemical engineering major, said the event is meaningful in that it gives students a chance to feel like they are part of a family away from home.
“Seeing students smile, laugh, and socialize with traditional Thanksgiving fixings and trimmings brings joy and a smile to my heart and soul,” Czeranko said.
She has volunteered for several years at the dinner and loves that the event provides volunteers a chance to make a difference in the lives of many Sun Devils. Czeranko, who is also a mathematics instructor in the College of Integrated and Arts in the Sciences of Mathematics praised the annual gathering for the impact it has on boosting student morale during a critical time in the Fall semester.
Hengl said the generosity of the staff, volunteers and donors cannot be overlooked. Without their support the annual Thanksgiving feast would not be possible.
“With the generous support of the ASU Family donors and volunteers, the event continues to provide a warm and inviting environment for students who are far from their homes and families,” Hengl said.
During this season of gratitude, ASU faculty, staff, students, families and the larger community can support this event by donating to the Thanksgiving Dinner Fund and ensure all Sun Devils have a meal to enjoy with their ASU family.