For New Mexico State University students and faculty who have yet to pay their “No Current Permit” citation, the NMSU parking department has an offer that will stick.

During homecoming week, Oct. 1- 5, the NMSU parking department will be partnering with the Aggie Cupboard in allowing students, faculty and staff to donate 80 ounces of peanut butter in exchange for “No Current Permit” parking citations to be reduced to a warning. The offer is limited to the first 100 participants, and may only be used to waive the “No Current Permit” parking citation. Other citations do not apply.

Participants may bring the unopened peanut butter jars to the Parking and ID Card Services office, located on the second floor inside the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore. They must then fill out and submit a numbered form. The “No Current Permit” citation is typically given in the first week to those who have not yet purchased their parking permit.

The Aggie Cupboard began operations in 2012, and moved to its current location at 906 Gregg Street 2 years ago. Its mission remains to provide NMSU students, faculty, and staff with access to supplementary food assistance. The Aggie Cupboard also seeks to cater to the Las Cruces community as a whole.

Angel Lege, a current employee, said that the Aggie Cupboard strives towards providing participants with a well-balanced diet, including carbohydrates, produce and protein.

“Students that show their NMSU ID will be given a menu, and are able to select 1 to 2 items from each category,” Lege said. “We also have pre-selected food bags for those who may be in a rush.”

The Aggie Cupboard distributes food bags every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at its 906 Gregg Street location. On the 4th Tuesday of every month, the Aggie Cupboard hosts their mobile food pantry at Preciado Park on the corner of Stewart Street and Gregg Street. The mobile food pantry is open to the public.

Students may volunteer at the Aggie Cupboard by calling the office or by emailing Meg Long, the head of Social Services and of Aggie Cupboard. Participants must undergo an orientation prior to volunteering.

On peanut butter donations, Aggie Cupboard employee Angel Lege said she encourages participants to purchase smaller containers rather than large ones to meet the 80 ounces requirement. Any size, however, is graciously accepted.

“Smaller ones can be placed more easily into bags and given to students and families,” Lege said.

This is the second year that the drive will be taking place. Kim Huddleston, Director of Auxiliary Business Support, said the goal of partnering with Aggie Cupboard is to encourage participants to give back.

“Last year 84 people paid their citations with peanut butter,” Huddleston said. “We received 6,800 ounces, or 425 pounds of peanut butter in total.”

This is the biggest donation event of the year for the NMSU parking department, and aims at helping supply the Aggie Cupboard with peanut butter for the winter. They are also currently working on a group to donate matching jelly.