DAVIS, Calif. - For the third consecutive season, UC Davis men's basketball is teaming up with the Yolo Food Bank for the program's annual holiday canned food drive. UC Davis students that donate an item will receive a YoloBerry gift card; anyone else that provides a canned or non-perishable item can purchase a general admission ticket for $8 to watch the Aggies open the 2014-15 season against Holy Names.

Tipoff for that Nov. 16 non-conference contest will take place at 4 p.m.

Even though UC Davis students and basketball fans only need to donate one item to receive the gift card/reduced admission, individuals can drop off as many items as they want since all proceeds will benefit the Yolo Food Bank's holiday meal distribution programs.

"The generosity of our fans and local residents is why this event is a successful one each year. We are excited to partner with the Yolo Food Bank for another season and look forward to topping last year's number of items donated," said head coach Jim Les. 

Men's basketball's inaugural food drive took place during the 2012-13 season; fans donated over 315 pounds of items to the Woodland-based non-profit organization. The program collected nearly twice that amount at last year's event.

Through Yolo Food Bank's direct distribution programs, more than 35,000 county residents who are considered food-insecure are able to receive nutritious food, fresh fruits and vegetables. In Yolo County, one in five people, and one in four children suffer from food insecurity-not knowing where their next meal will come from.

By partnering with local farmers, ranchers, and organizations like UC Davis men's basketball throughout the year, donations received from events like this month's food drive benefit children, families and seniors who rely on nutritional assistance provided by the Food Bank and its programs.

In addition to its Holiday Food Distribution, a program that helps feed over 15,000 individuals throughout the months of November, December and March, the Food Bank also provides emergency food to approximately 10,000 low-income households through its Emergency Food Assistance Program.

Research shows that people living in rural areas experience higher rates of poverty and lack access to fresh, nutritious foods. These areas tend to lack emergency food providers and resources for people who need them. To provide people in remote areas with ongoing access to healthy foods, the Yolo Food Bank builds 25-pound food boxes each month that contain a variety of grocery items as part of its Rural Food Delivery program.

Visit yolofoodbank.org to learn more about the organization and its numerous programs that benefit Yolo County residents throughout the year.