Architect Organization’s Charitable Event to Support the Community Food Bank of New Jersey
The New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ) and the organization’s local AIA Newark and Suburban section today announced that CANstruction, the annual design exhibition to benefit local food bank programs, will be on display from October 7, 2016 through October 16, 2016 at the Livingston Mall, in Livingston, N.J.
The event is part of a national program that calls upon teams of architects and designers to envision and construct creative structures made entirely of canned food. The structures will be built on October 6 during the eight-hour ‘build day’ and will remain on display through October 16.
The 2016 CANstruction theme is ‘Summer Athletic Games.’ This is a chance for teams to interpret their favorite athletic events, themes and imagery from the world of competitive sports. Once the structures are deconstructed, the cans will be donated to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) for distribution to various community food bank programs.
The Community Food Bank of New Jersey is a member of ‘Feeding America,’ a nationwide network of over 200 food banks. For over 30 years, CFBNJ has been fighting poverty and hunger in the Garden State, distributing almost 45 million pounds of food annually and reaching more than 1 million hungry New Jersey residents. The distribution recipients include pantries, soup kitchens, programs for children and the elderly and shelters.
This year’s event will also invite the public to donate cans at the sculpture location. A collection point will be located near the sculptures, allowing guests to leave canned food donations during their visit.
This will be the 18th year for the design competition. Once again, Simon Property Group® has generously made available its Livingston Mall as the venue for the event. Goya Foods™ has also signed on again to provide its sponsorship of the event.
Recognized for their commitment to art, innovation and hunger relief, CANstruction events have raised over 40 million pounds of food for local food banks since 1992.
About AIA and AIA New Jersey
Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization that helps architects serve the public’s needs and builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., its 300 plus local chapters represent 88,000 licensed architects and allied professionals. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architecture profession in the Garden State since 1900. Based in Trenton, AIA New Jersey has 2,000 members in six local sections. For more information, please visit www.aia-nj.org.
About Canstruction, Inc.
Canstruction, Inc. is a non-profit organization that coordinates annual design and build competitions in a way that combines the creative thinking of the design and construction industry with a community service initiative. This international community service project bases its service on the construction of structures made entirely out of canned food, raising awareness about hunger to show how “one CAN make a difference.” Working in tandem with AIA and other members of the design and construction industry, Canstruction has become one of the largest contributors to food banks in the world. To learn more about Canstruction, please visit http://www.canstruction. org.
