UC Riverside’s Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) led a “Donations for Citations” campaign that netted $4,560 in parking citation savings.

TAPS ran this inaugural campaign from Nov. 27 through Dec. 15 with one primary objective: help students. TAPS allowed drivers with citations under $100 to donate up to 10 nonperishable food or baby items in order to receive a $20 credit toward their parking ticket.

The campaign netted these results:

• 245 donations
• 2,721 items
• 2,178 pounds of food
• 228 citations reduced
• $4,560 total in parking citation fees reduced

All the food was donated to the campus student pantry, R’Pantry. The idea for the campaign came from TAPS staff, said Irma Henderson, transportation director.

“We wanted our students to be able to benefit from this program and have the UCR community supporting the UCR community,” said Henderson.

Items donated to the pantry saved the staff a weekly shopping trip, leaving R’Pantry fully stocked for when students returned from winter break in January, said Devon Sakamoto, director of The Well, the department that oversees the R’Pantry.

“Seeing departments like TAPS and individuals from across campus recognize food insecurity as an important issue, and come together to support our students is such a wonderful thing to see,” Sakamoto said. “I’m looking forward to more partnerships this year.”