Gov. Perdue will initiate a state-wide initiative to end hunger in the state tomorrow as part of the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Local food banks involved include Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Food Bank of Central & Eastern N.C.

The University is also involved in the National Day of Service and Remembrance, according to Tierza Watts, associate director for the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service.

Watts said CSLEPS is planning several projects for the infamous anniversary of the collapse of the World Trade Towers.

“9/11 has been declared a National Day of Service, so CSLEPS and the Service–Leadership team is concentrating on that,” Watts said.

Service Leadership Team (SLT) will be participating in many initiatives over the weekend of service and remembrance, Watts said.

“SLT is having retreat this weekend, and the SLT is participating in five different projects while on retreat,” Watts said.

Jason Boone, director of communications at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, is closely involved with the initiative and was a part of the team that visited the governor’s mansion to plan for the series of activities for the 9/11 weekend.

“There is no better way to remember 9/11 than by turning it into a day of service for feeding the hungry in the state,” Boone said.

According to Boone, people will come forward in huge numbers and a lot of food will be donated over the weekend.

 ”We don’t have any goal or target to raise a certain number of pounds over the weekend.  All kinds of donations, including food and monetary donations, will be accepted to help people in need,” Boone said.

This is the initiative’s first year and Boone said donors are encouraged to give non-perishable canned food. The initiative will run through the weekend until Monday at noon.

“We encourage everyone to donate. Many state government run agencies and state government employees will be donating and offering voluntary services,” Boone said.

Food donated over the weekend will then go into the distribution system, and Boone said one of the points of distribution is near the farmer’s market.

“Once food goes into the distribution system, it will be distributed across seven counties in the Triangle,” Boone said.

Many agencies, large and small, will be involved with the distribution process, Boone said, and will start Monday after the amount of accumulated food is calculated.

“[More than] 200 big distribution agencies, including the Salvation Army and number of small agencies that include local churches, schools and communication centers having pantries, will be involved in the process of distribution,” Boone said.

Boone also said Perdue was the initiator of the project and has been leading the effort.

According to Boone, Perdue signed a proclamation for initiating the food drive, got the involvement of seven food banks across the state along with FeedingAmerica.org and got all the necessary publicity for the event.

“The governor wants the state to be unified and wants to see some tangible benefits in these bad economic times,” Boone said.

Several students said they were unaware of the food drive.

 ”I am not aware of any food donation drives,” said Jacob Kerley, a freshman in civil engineering, said.

“Hunger is everyone’s problem and the only way to solve it is by working together. Help your hungry neighbors with some food today,” Boone said.