Binghamton University President Lois B. DeFleur has canceled the annual holiday reception for faculty and staff and is instead encouraging the BU community to donate to charity.

University spokesman Ryan Yarosh said DeFleur made the call given the “current economic conditions” and said canceling the reception seemed like the right move. The event, which is open to faculty and staff, was set to take place on Dec. 17, in the Susquehanna Room.

Instead, DeFleur has requested that the BU community contribute to CHOW, the Community Hunger Outreach Network. Collection barrels have been placed in various locations throughout campus.

CHOW is an organization that feeds between 2,000 and 3,000 people each month, many of whom are elderly people on fixed incomes and families with children. The organization operates through a network of 28 food pantries throughout the county, according to Rev. Joseph Sellepack, the executive director of the Council of Churches.

Broome Bounty, a subsidiary of CHOW, works to reclaim food that would otherwise go to waste. The food is obtained from restaurants, bakeries and caterers and distributed to soup kitchens and community food programs, Sellepack said.

BU students are involved with several CHOW efforts, including the Hunger Walk, which took place this past October. About 800 people from the community were involved and the event raised $55,000. Many fraternities and sororities also take part in food drives and specific projects throughout the season, including gift wrapping at UPS stores.

In October, which is just after harvest for many farmers, a number of gleaners, including student volunteers, go around local fields and pick the leftover apples and potatoes, which CHOW distributes, according to Sellepack.

“We are very appreciative of the ways that the University has partnered with us to help those in need of food in our area,” he said.

A Late Nite crafts fair, which was held on campus Dec. 5, required an entrance fee of a piece of nonperishable food. In total, 3,000 pounds of food were donated to CHOW.

At the end of the year dorm rooms are cleaned out and any food found to be left by students is donated to CHOW.

“We collect a lot this way,” Sellepack said. Abandoned clothing and appliances are donated to The Salvation Army.

“The Binghamton University community has always been generous during the holiday season through the Physical Facilities’ support of Toys for Tots, the Student Association’s Holiday Drive, the Residential Life Hand to Heart gift bags and other drives. However, in these difficult times, I believe that we can — and should — do more,” DeFleur said in a memo.