Parking Services donation drive gives students unique incentive to participate

Students, faculty and staff with outstanding parking citations will be able to earn a credit towards paying them off by donating new, unwrapped toys and nonperishable food items to Parking and Transportation Services offices on the Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington Campuses starting Monday, Nov. 21.  

Participants will receive a $10 credit for every toy or 5 boxes/cans of food donated, with a maximum of $20 per citation, according to Josh Cantor Director of Parking and Transportation Services. This can be applied to up to three citations, allowing for a maximum possible credit of $60.

While this is the fifth year of the program, Cantor said this is the first year the donation credit could be applied to more than one citation, part of an effort to boost donations and "give a break" to people with a few extra parking citations.

"But you don't need to owe us a parking ticket to donate," joked Cantor.

Also new this year, participants can opt to receive $20 towards upgrading to a Lot J or parking deck permit for the spring semester.

Each campus will be sending food donations to a different local organization; Fairfax donations will go to Food for Others, Arlington donations will go to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, and Prince William donations will go to Serve.

"This allows people to have an impact locally," said Cantor.

Toy donations from all three campuses will be consolidated and sent to Toys for Tots.

Donations will be accepted until Dec. 13 at noon on the Arlington Campus, Dec. 14 at noon on the Fairfax Campus, and Dec. 15 at noon on the Prince William Campus.

Parking and Transportation Services is operating the drive in conjunction with the Staff Senate and the Office of Military Services.

The Parking Services office is located in the Sandy Creek Shuttle building on the Fairfax campus.

For more information contact Parking Services at (703) 993-2710 or parking@gmu.edu.