By Dixie Reid

Here’s a way to stay healthy this winter while helping families who could use a hand.

Sacramento State is offering no-cost flu shots Thursday, Nov. 12, to people who make a canned-good or other donation to the Associated Students Inc. (ASI) Thanksgiving Food Baskets Drive.

Students from Sac State’s School of Nursing will administer vaccinations during a drive-through flu-shot clinic, 8 a.m.-noon in Parking Structure 3.

• ASI drive-through efforts will fill Thanksgiving food baskets

The “Feed a Family and Fight the Flu” clinic is open to the campus community, including alumni, retirees, and members of the Renaissance Society, as well as the general public. Students will receive a free flu shot without making a donation.

Flu shots will be provided the same day that ASI hosts its second day of food gathering on behalf of its Thanksgiving food baskets program. The first, shown here, was Nov. 5. (Sacramento State/Andrea Price)

Sac State offers the basic flu vaccine being given by other community providers but will not provide the high-dose vaccine that is recommended, if available, for individuals 65 and older.

“It’s not too late to vaccinate,” said Janet Dumonchelle, pharmacist-in-charge at the campus Student Health Services Pharmacy. “Sooner is better for optimal protection, because it may take up to 14 days to get an adequate immune response to the flu vaccine.

“The flu shot is especially important this year, because people can be at risk for getting COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.”

Thursday’s flu-shot clinic coincides with ASI’s same-day Thanksgiving Food Basket donation drop-off, 9 a.m.-noon at the ASI Children’s Center, in Lot 7.

ASI’s goal is to provide, through the ASI Food Pantry, Thanksgiving food baskets to at least 150 Sac State students and their families and to donate baskets to local nonprofits that help families in the area.

“The Thanksgiving Food Basket program is more important than ever, as 2020 has been a challenging year for our community.” 

Donors also may make a tax-deductible gift online to the Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive through the University Foundation at Sac State. The fundraising goal is $5,250 by Nov. 20.

ASI also accepts personal checks made payable to Associated Students Inc., with “Thanksgiving Baskets” on the memo line. Checks can be mailed to: Associated Students Inc. at Sac State/attention ASI Food Pantry/6000 J St. MS 6011/ Sacramento, CA 95819.

Nearly one-quarter of Sacramento State students who rely on the ASI Food Pantry to feed themselves are also feeding their family members.

ASI asks that food donated both at the flu-shot clinic and their drop-off event come from the shopping list below. Donors also can choose to give a complete family-sized Thanksgiving basket (valued at about $35):

• 4 cans of vegetables (such as green beans, corn, mixed vegetables)
• 2 cans of fruit (such as peaches, pineapple, and fruit cocktail)
• 2 cans of cranberry sauce
• 2 cans of gravy
• 2 cans or cartons of chicken broth
• 2 boxes of cornbread mix
• 2 boxes of macaroni and cheese
• 1 box of mashed potatoes
• 1 box of stuffing mix
• 1 graham cracker pie crust
• 1 can of pie filling

“The Thanksgiving Food Basket program is more important than ever, as 2020 has been a challenging year for our community,” said Elizabeth Villalobos, ASI Food Pantry coordinator.

Students who’ve registered with the Food Pantry, along with any student with a child at the ASI Children’s Center, are encouraged to reserve a Thanksgiving basket online.

Sac State faculty, staff, and administrators also may nominate students there to receive food baskets.

Students may pick up their reserved basket between noon and 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, or 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at the ASI Food Pantry in the University Union.

ASI also plans to accommodate students who reserve a Thanksgiving basket but, because of the pandemic and the majority of classes being conducted online, no longer live in the Sacramento area.