Sophomore Michael Pittman, creator of the “Flex Can” program. (Sidney Hollingsworth / The Daily Campus)
It is mid-April and you have too many Flex dollars to spend by the time the semester is over.
For most students, this means spending all those pre-paid Flex dollars on junk or friends. You load up on unnecessary chapstick and gum from the market, or you go on a binge buying all your friends Chick-fil-a from Hughes-Trigg.
Basically, you just need to get rid of it. But now, you can avoid all the hassle.
SMU student Michael Pittman started an annual program where students can donate extra Flex dollars at the end of the school year to the North Texas Food Bank. The program is called “Flex Can.”
“Flex buys ‘can’ goods, but your Flex ‘can’ provide meals to those less fortunate,” Pittman said.
April 1-19, students can go to Mac’s place and The Market to donate Flex. The donated Flex goes towards the food bank’s five most needed items. After April 19, students can bring the needed items to the food bank.
Jennifer Chang, marketing manager for Dining Services, said this is the first year Dining Services has implemented a program like Flex Can.
Pittman said the program is not solely for Flex dollars. Students can donate Pony or their own money to the cause.
Student Body President Elect Ramon Trespalacios, said he admires Pittman for finding an innovative way that SMU students can do service.
“I will definitely donate. I am an RA and part of the meal plan they give us has Flex. I rarely finish them. Last year I had to buy 5 boxes of cereal and plenty granola bars to finish my Flex dollars,” Trespalacios said.
Pittman’s inspiration for Flex Can came from seeing his friends scramble to use their Flex at the end of each school year.
He worked with a campus minister to develop the idea and later, pitched it to SMU Dining Services.
“SMU is a great university. I wanted to leave a legacy. Something tangible,” Pittman said. “[Flex Can is] so easy and it’s beneficial and 20 years from now, it would be cool to see students still giving.”
