By Taylor Stewart
In late February, Sara abu Amarah is wrapping up her second semester as a master’s student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It’s her first time away from her home country of Jordan and living in the United States of America. She’s currently studying anthropology and human rights.
Behind Amarah, sitting against the window, is a purple suitcase with a bandana tied around the handle. For Amarah, grocery shopping isn’t grabbing a pair of car keys and hopping on the highway or relying on food delivery apps. Instead, for the past three weeks, she’s been waking up early on Saturday mornings to ride UAB’s Blazer Market Route.
UAB student Sara abu Amarah
Photo courtesy: Taylor Stewart, UAB Student Affairs Marketing & Communication
Designed to remove barriers towards food insecurity when grocery stores in Birmingham are scarce, the Blazer Market Route offers students a new bus route that stops at Walmart, Mi Pueblo, and Super Oriental Market.
“We think about basic needs and insecurities, but one thing we often forget about is transportation and security with that,” said Debbie Morgette, assistant director of UAB Student Assistance and Support. Morgette went on to stress the importance of meeting the needs of students who live on campus and International students who don’t have access to their own vehicles.
International students made up over 2.5% of UAB's undergraduate population in Fall 2022. On the bus that misty morning, Amarah raves about the convenience of the service, “I’ve had a difficult time getting groceries, Ubers get to be expensive and this service gives us more options of going to three stores instead of just one.” She talks about her anxiety about being an International student and how a service like the Blazer Market Route makes her feel welcome on campus.
UAB student checking in before boarding the Blazer Express as part of the Blazer Market Route Photo courtesy: Taylor Stewart, UAB Student Affairs Marketing & Communications
Housed in Student Affairs, UAB Student Assistance and Support offers undergraduate and graduate students a variety of resources to aid them in times of financial strain. Whether helping students gain emergency grants to repair their car, guiding them to mental health resources on campus, giving them access to Blazer Kitchen at the Hill Student Center, and more, this office is a vital part of student affairs’ mission to remove barriers to student success.
When returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic, UAB Student Assistance & Support saw an increase in student engagement and worked to increase their office offerings. In the Fall of 2022, the department was awarded a $25,000 grant from Auburn University Hunger Solutions Institute, funded by the Alabama Campus Coalition for Basic Needs.
The coalition aims to empower students to succeed in their higher education journey by ensuring their basic needs are met, specifically focusing on nutrition and food security.
UAB students riding Blazer Market Route Photo courtesy: Taylor Stewart, UAB Student Affairs Marketing & Communications
"What it all comes down to is access,” Morgette stated, “There are a lot of great things about our campus but the nearest grocery store is also one of the most expensive ones—and even that’s a half mile away.”
In a 2021 UAB Assessment & Planning survey, results showed that 27.4% of graduate students and 34.4% of undergraduate students reported that in the last 30 days, they had eaten less than they should because they did not have enough money for food and/or groceries.
“We can’t change the infrastructure of our city but we can open up that access and make something like getting fresh and healthy groceries more accessible for our students.” Morgette went on to say.
Thomas Chandler Photo courtesy: Taylor Stewart, UAB Student Affairs Marketing & Communications
Thomas Chandler has been a bus driver for over 40 years, driving the Blazer Express for the past two, “I could be retired,” he says, “but I continue to do so because of how important services like this are.”
On Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons, he stands outside of the bus and greets every student. The Blazer Market Route is just getting started, and already he recognizes and has regular riders each week. He points them out as they walk towards the stop in front of the Hill Student Center, “He rides just to get out of the library,” then to a group of three students crossing in front of Bartow Arena, “They ride the bus together every weekend.
“I plan to ride every week,” says Narisetty Vignan Uday Chand Chowdary, a graduate student from India studying computer science, “I want my groceries to be as fresh as possible so the Saturday schedule works best for me.” He goes on to say that before the Blazer Market Route he couldn’t cook as often and this service allows him to make food from his culture every week.
Chowdary stated how essential the service has become to International students in the UAB community, “We don’t need to search for a ride or buy a ride,” he says, “UAB already has a plan for us.”
Narisetty Vignan Uday Chand Chowdary
Photo courtesy: Taylor Stewart, UAB Student Affairs Marketing & Communications
UAB’s Blazer Market Route runs every Saturday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and Sunday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. for the remainder of the spring 2023 semester. This service is available to all Blazers, graduate and undergraduate students, who present a valid OneCard. Participants are encouraged to grab their reusable grocery bags and shopping list before climbing aboard.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, click here.