The Aurora University athletic department and the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry have agreed to partner with the Spartan athletic teams and student-athletes volunteering weekly at the organization.
 
Each Thursday, a different athletic team from AU will volunteer at the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry. Thursday is a food distribution day at the pantry and it allows the student-athletes the opportunity to help provide service during these busy days. 
 
Since the partnership was formed in 2014, members of the AU athletic program's volunteer at the pantry each week throughout the academic year. Approximately over 500 Spartans have taken part in this volunteering effort. 
 
"An important goal for the AU athletic department is to have a sustainable relationship with a local organization that could value from the service our student-athletes could provide," said Assistant Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Wellbeing Nicole Pieart. "Many of our sports teams do a wonderful job of providing community service within the greater Aurora area, and we wanted to build on those great partnerships with a comprehensive partnership between AU athletics as a whole and a local group that could benefit.  The Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry has been a wonderful partner, for our student-athletes can provide a meaningful impact and assist members of the greater community. We are grateful to the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry for its partnership and look forward to continuing this service well into the future." 
 
AU student-athletes will help provide assistance to guests by loading food into vehicles, unpacking boxes, sorting and labeling donated food items, cleaning the facility, and assisting guests with their food choices. 

The food pantry has been open since 1981 and provides service to hundreds of families within several Northern Illinois counties, including Kane, DuPage, Kendall and DeKalb.