Canstruction Competitions Create New Way to Feed the Hungry

Canstruction Competitions Create New Way to Feed the Hungry

Who needs common building materials like steel, wood and drywall when you could just use tin cans? Think I'm crazy? I'm not, and neither is the nonprofit group known as Canstruction. In fact, they're philanthropic and have taken the idea of edible art to a whole new level.

Canstruction holds design and build competitions all over the country in which participants are required to make structures using only canned goods. Contestants have created things like a toucan, a Keurig coffee maker, the Titanic, and even the video game character Yoshi from Super Mario Bros.

The group's website reads, "Wherever a Canstruction competition is held, thousands of hungry people are fed, a greater awareness of the issues surrounding hunger is brought home to the public, and a spotlight is placed on the design and construction industry giving back to the communities it helps build."

In 2010, Canstruction's design competitions brought in over 2 million pounds of food to local food banks, enough to provide 1.5 million meals.

"One can make a difference" is the premise behind the contests, and the nonprofit considers itself to be "the most unique food charity in the world."

To participate in a Canstruction design competition, visit Canstruction.org.

[Related: Curves 15th Annual Food Drive Surpasses Donation Goal]

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