Record-Setting TerpsGiving: Terps Donate More Cans Than Ever!

Terpsgiving is one of College Park’s best annual traditions, and it returned this year in a monumental way. 

Terpsgiving was a successful effort as Maryland’s student-athletes worked hard to give back to the local community. This year, the Terps collected the most cans they have ever had hosting Terpsgiving, collecting a grand total of 2,561 cans, 876 more cans than the previous record! 

Facilitated through Maryland Made/SAAC, student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff participated in Terpsgiving to fight food insecurity in College Park. They held a food drive from Oct. 1 to Oct. 22 and collected non-perishable food donations in designated campus locations, including Gossett Hall, Jones-Hill House, Varsity Team House, and XFINITY Center.

Field hockey’s Ava Trexler was a Director of Share the Shell for SAAC and played a big role in the monumental drive.

“Knowing that we were able to donate more cans than ever this year fills me with so much excitement and gratitude towards our student-athletes,” Trexler said. “Knowing that more people will be fed this year due to our student-athletes' involvement gives me so much pride in this SAAC program. At the same time, I am not surprised we were able to reach this goal because everyone on our board was doing their part to emphasize the importance of community involvement which made everyone want to be a part of it.”

Trexler hasn’t taken a moment for granted during her time at Maryland and she knows the value of giving back.

“Every student-athlete here knows that getting the opportunity to be a Terp is an honor, and more importantly a privilege,” Trexler said. “I find it extremely important that we give back to the local community that may not have the same opportunity and resources that we do. It is so important that we are committed to supporting the communities around us, and nothing connects a group of people more than banning together to help others.”

Another Director of Share the Shell for SAAC was DJ Tarver, a track and field athlete that also spent the month giving back to the community. 

“Community service matters to me because it gives me a chance to give back for the support this campus and community give us as student-athletes,” Tarver said. “I grew up believing that if you are in a position to help others, you should. Giving back keeps me grounded, helps me stay connected to people outside of sports, and reminds me that small actions can make a real difference in someone’s life.”

The student-athletes took a lot of pride not only in their work, but in their preparation for an unbelievable day of service. 

“We made community service feel like something that everybody on the team could contribute to, not just a few people,” Tarver said. “We made Terpsgiving bigger than just a competition and emphasized how every can donated helps a real family in College Park. We shared reminders in the group chats, brought it up at team meetings, and made it easy for people to donate. Once everyone understood that the impact was direct, people bought in and the energy stayed high.”

The various athletic teams at the University of Maryland competed to see which group could bring in the most cans and raise the most support for food insecurity in College Park. 

“I am super proud of our SAAC group for breaking the cans record,” Colby Wilson, Maryland’s Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development said. “They worked very hard to spread the word throughout all the teams and fellow student-athletes, and it led to a true team effort. Making the drive competitive between the teams definitely helped us break the record, with women's golf bringing in the most cans per student-athlete and winning a team dinner. I am specifically proud of Ava Trexler and DJ Tarver, our Share the Shell Directors, who did a great job keeping Terpsgiving organized and fun, leading us to such a successful drive this year!”

This year, Terpsgiving was integrated into the university’s annual Good Neighbor Day, on which the university, the City of College Park and local organizations come together to volunteer and give to those in need. 

“To give back to the College Park community through Good Neighbor Day means contributing to a shared effort to strengthen our connection and support with our neighborhood-no matter the size of the action,” Amy Caballero, Coordinator for Community Partnerships said. “Good Neighbor Day encourages all of us to make meaningful ongoing connection, collaboration, and care among our community members. This day is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while inspiring others to be good neighbors year-round.”

By aligning Terpsgiving with Good Neighbor Day, the athletics department enhanced its visibility and involvement within the College Park community while supporting a broader university-wide effort to address local needs. Caballero helped connect athletics to Good Neighbor Day this year, and was blown away by the efforts of the student-athletes.

“Partnering with athletics has enhanced this initiative by expanding our reach and strengthening the food drive component of Good Neighbor Day,” Caballero said. “Their commitment, visibility, and teamwork brings energy and momentum to the effort. To see a van full of food donations from athletics and to hear about the collaborated effort amongst the whole department was a powerful reminder how small coordinated actions can create a big impact. Our team feels grateful, supported, and inspired by this partnership.”