UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Fans of Penn State men’s basketball will have a special opportunity to make an impact in their local community during the upcoming Jan. 2 showdown against Indiana.

Penn State will host a 50/50 raffle to benefit the Centre County United Way during the Nittany Lions’ game at the Bryce Jordan Center at 4 p.m., giving Penn Staters a unique opportunity to help their neighbors in need while enjoying a Big Ten clash.

During the game, attendees will be able to purchase raffle tickets from Centre County United Way volunteers. Tickets will be available for purchase via cash or credit card, using an electronic platform on tablets carried by the volunteers.

Before the end of the game, one winner will be randomly selected to receive 50% of the money raised from ticket sales, with the other half of the proceeds benefitting the Centre County United Way.

The Centre County United Way brings together 26 partner agencies across Centre County to work in the interconnected areas of health, education and economic security. Every year, one in three Centre County residents access the programs and services funded by the United Way.

For more than 40 years, Penn State has designated the Centre County United Way as the University’s charity of choice, and takes part in an annual campaign to support the United Way.

Support from the Penn State community makes up more than 40% of the total dollars raised for the Centre County United Way each year. Every donation, no matter how small, makes an impact — a gift of only $5 can provide a week’s school supplies for a child in need.

For more information, or to learn how can you support the Centre County United Way, visit UnitedWay.psu.edu.