BYU’s Cougs Care brings fans together to support Knights Helping Knights Pantry

While the Knights and the Cougars prepared to battle at the Bounce House on Saturday, fans of both programs gathered at Carillon Elementary School for a tailgate-turned-food drive to support UCF’s Knights Helping Knights Pantry.

As fans enjoyed music, food, and games at the tailgate, a tent and two foldable tables sat just outside, where fans could donate food items to the community.

BYU’s Cougs Care, a program focused on giving back to the community the football team visits at every away game, last visited when the Knights hosted the Cougars on Oct. 26, 2024.

With help from Light Orlando, a volunteer organization focused on improving Central Florida, the food drive collected all sorts of items, from canned tuna to toilet paper.

Troy Wright, a program officer with Light Orlando and a member of the BYU Alumni Committee, said the event’s purpose went beyond football and focused on the communities that build the fan bases.

“Anytime we come into a city, to play football, we like to get our fans to come together to celebrate the game,” Wright said. “Part of that celebration is figuring out how we can give back and make an impact in the communities.”

For the Cougars’ matchup against the Knights, the food drive focused on benefiting the Knights Helping Knights Pantry, a food pantry committed to serve UCF students with food, clothing, and personal hygiene items if they need.

After making the trip from Utah, BYU fan and donator Brant Thurgood said his motivation for contribution stems from a strong humanistic standpoint.

“We’re trying to serve others and take it beyond football,” Thurgood said. “There are people who play the game but there’s also people who watch the game and don’t watch game, but guess what? We’re all human.”

Beyond the food collected, Cindy Harris, an education specialist with Light Orlando, hopes students who rely on the Knights Helping Knights Pantry can feel the support of the community behind it.

“I think that Knight pantry will benefit greatly by this,” Harris said. “We hope they’ll feel the love and the unity from today and the friendship that we care.”

“We all have opportunities to serve others who are maybe struggling and everything like that,” Thurgood added. “This is an opportunity for humans to help humans, and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.”

The Cougs Care program will continue to make stops this season, including a literacy drive at the University of Utah on Nov. 7 and a sports equipment drive at the University of Kansas on Nov. 21.