Canstruction facts for kids
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| Founded | 1992 |
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| Founder | Cheri Melillo |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Help people in need |
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Area served
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International |
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Members
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Over 200 cities worldwide |
| Website | www.canstruction.org |
Canstruction is a special event where teams build amazing structures using only full cans of food. Imagine giant sculptures made of soup cans or tuna! These teams are usually made up of architects, engineers, contractors, and students. After the structures are built and displayed, all the food is given to local food banks. This helps people in need get healthy meals.
Canstruction started in 1992 in the United States. It was created by Cheri Melillo. Since then, it has grown into a huge international charity competition. Millions of pounds of food have been donated through Canstruction events. It's now one of the biggest food drives in the world. Over 170 cities and more than 30,000 volunteers take part in these fun and helpful competitions.
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How Canstruction Started
Canstruction was created in 1992 by a woman named Cheri Melillo. She worked for a group called the Society for Design Administration (SDA). Cheri wanted to find a way for people in the design and construction world to work together. She also wanted them to help their communities.
So, she came up with the idea of building structures out of canned food. This became a friendly competition that also helped feed people. Cheri worked as a volunteer leader for Canstruction for 17 years. She received many awards for her amazing work. She was even honored by groups like the American Institute of Architects and City Harvest.
How Canstruction Competitions Work
Joining a Canstruction Team
Teams that enter Canstruction competitions usually include architects, engineers, or designers. These professionals might enter with their own companies. They can also guide teams of students, local businesses, or community groups. Each competition aims to have at least ten teams.
Teams are responsible for getting all the canned food they need for their structure. Only five people can build the structure at one time. One extra person can help unbox the cans. Teams can swap members during the building process. The structure must be built within one day, usually 12 to 16 hours.
Rules for Building Structures
Teams can use only a few extra supplies besides cans and boxed food. All cans must be full, unopened, and have their labels on them. This is very important! Food banks cannot accept cans without labels.
Local Competitions and Awards
Teams in different cities compete to design and build their giant food structures. Local judges pick the winners. They give out awards for categories like:
- Jurors' Favorite: The overall best structure.
- Best Use of Labels: For creative use of can labels.
- Best Meal: For structures that represent a complete meal.
- Structural Ingenuity: For clever and strong designs.
- Honorable Mention/Peoples Choice: A special award, sometimes chosen by the public.
After the local awards, photos of the winning structures are sent to an international competition. The structures are displayed for about a week for everyone to see. Visitors are asked to bring a canned good or non-perishable food item as "admission." All the food from the sculptures and public donations goes to local food banks.
The International Competition
Every year, there's an Annual International Canstruction Competition in May. Cities from all over the world compete! This includes places in the United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and South America. The winning teams from local competitions compete for international titles.
International award categories are similar to local ones. They include Jurors' Favorite, Best Use of Labels, Best Meal, Structural Ingenuity, Honorable Mention, and Most Cans. The International Canstruction Competition Convention is held in a different city each year.
Record-Breaking Canstruction Displays
Guinness World Record for Canned Food Structure
In January 2010, Disney teamed up with Canstruction. They built the largest canned food structure ever! This amazing structure was built at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. It officially broke a Guinness World Record on February 11, 2010.
This event was part of Disney's "Celebrate Family Volunteers" program. It encouraged people to volunteer in their communities. The structure used a massive 115,527 cans! After the display, all these cans of food were sent to food banks. This helped feed people in Central Florida, Miami, and Atlanta.
See also
