Fighting Hunger, One Can at a Time

Betsy Nickless knows how to help others while having a little fun – no, a lot of fun. As co-chair of the Orange County Canstruction competition, this Fountain Valley familiar face enjoys the excitement and creativity that participants show as they prepare for each season’s gala competition.

Nickless is a member of the Society for Design Administration, the organization that sanctions Canstruction worldwide. Canstruction is a fun-filled event for all involved, from the planning, to the Build Night activities, to the can-studded gala celebration that caps off the festivities to serve a great purpose: feeding the hungry.

The first Canstruction event took place in 1992 in Seattle. The local SDA chapter designed a project that engaged their members’ creativity and successfully collected food and funds to help feed the needy local people. Original designs included a topographical map of the state of Washington, which triggered a response in members to come up with new and creative ways to use canned foods as building blocks. The organization saw an opportunity to donate the canned foods used in the design after the competition, and the attention brought to the entries encouraged cash donations to local charities that feed those needy in the local area. The success of the event was undeniable, and "Canstruction" was born.

The event soon drew national attention, and today, chapters of of the SDA host similar competitions across the country. At each event, architectural and engineering firms form teams that compete in a variety of categories. Similar to the judging of the Rose Bowl floats, judges select best use of labels, best meal, structural ingenuity and jurors’ favorite. They acknowledge general excellence with honorable mention selections. Canstruction raised more than 2 million pounds of food in 2010 which was donated to local food banks, enough food to provide 1.5 million meals.

How did Nickless become involved in this unique venture? “We were contacted by the Orange County Food Bank to see if our local chapter wanted to assist them with putting on a local event," she said. "Canstruction currently sponsors events in more than 110 cities worldwide. We partner with the American Institute of Architects, the Orange County Food Bank, and Society for Marketing Professional Services, an architect, engineering and construction marketing association."

Canstruction never fails to impress and entertain. “It is always so exciting to see what great designs the teams come up with and how they implement their plans using only canned foods as building material,” Nickless said. “The real payoff is in knowing that all of the canned good used in the competition are passed to the local food back after the competition. The food items and money raised at the event, goes to help those in need."

Nickless is immersed in the details of organizing the next Canstruction event, which will take place in September over the Labor Day weekend. Participants will gather at South Coast Plaza on Friday, Sept. 2, and work all night to complete their structures. The entries can be enjoyed by the public throughout the weekend, and sponsorships and donations can be made on site, or via the organization’s website.

Nickless enjoys working on this very worthwhile project, and she is no stranger to volunteer efforts. “The Orange County Chapter of the SDA has volunteered every year at Project Playhouse, another charity event in the design and construction industry,” Nickless said. “So I've been fortunate to help with home tours, sale of raffle tickets, and attending the live auction to see the excitement of how much each playhouse will sell for. Homebuilder teams construct amazing playhouses which are auctioned off, with the proceeds going to HomeAid Orange County to be used to build shelters for the transitionally homeless - all the money stays in Orange County.”