Tanner Earley, president of Donor to Diner, stands in front of the 500 meal vouchers collected last fall during the Donor to Diner One Meal Initiative. Students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will have the opportunity to provide a meal for a fellow Blazer through the Donor to Diner One Meal Initiative.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, students can make donations at the Commons on the Green cafeteria. The donations can be made from a student’s meal plan or $5 paid in dining dollars, Blazer Bucks or cash, or via credit card.
D2D, a student organization program, was established in 2015 in conjunction with UAB administration, Campus Dining, and Student Advocacy, Rights and Conduct. The D2D One Meal Initiative allows donations to be converted to meal vouchers that UAB case managers distribute to students in need. SARC is serving 50 students with meal vouchers, with each student receiving 10 vouchers a month. More than 500 meal vouchers were collected and distributed last fall through the One Meal Initiative program.
The SARC food pantry has served more than 350 students since it began two years ago.
“After learning about collegiate food insecurity and hearing that UAB students were being affected by this issue, I knew I had to get involved and become an advocate,” said Tanner Earley, president of Donor to Diner. “The purpose of the One Meal Initiative, as well as Donor to Diner, is to provide an organized way for students to help each other. We are grateful for the support of UAB administration and Campus Dining, who have helped us make this a reality.”
Food insecurity is defined as inconsistent access to food due to a limitation in resources.
“Food insecurity is a serious issue facing our nation and particularly college students,” said Rich Yokeley, UAB Campus Dining resident district manager. “Campus Dining is deeply invested in Stop Hunger programs, and we are happy to continue our support of the student-developed Donor to Diner One Meal Initiative here on campus.”
After the program was launched, many students facing food insecurity have become aware of the prevalence of hunger and the existence of UAB resources designed to help them. As a result, the demand for meal voucher donations has significantly increased.