Beat Bama Food Drive celebrates 30th anniversary with largest goal ever

Over the last 30 years, Auburn students have worked to help provide 4.3 million pounds of food and deliver 7.85 million meals to food insecure people across Alabama counties. This is the Auburn University Beat Bama Food Drive at work.

The Beat Bama Food Drive (BBFD) is a student-led effort consisting of over 650 volunteers, making it the largest student organization dedicated to service at Auburn. Now in its 30th year, the organization has two main goals: change lives — one meal at a time through donations to the Food Bank of East Alabama and beat the University of Alabama.

Friendly rivals down the road at Alabama also are working to collect food through the Beat Auburn Beat Hunger (BABH) food drive. Though it’s a race to see who can collect more, together, the two universities have provided 8.3 million pounds of food for Alabamians facing food insecurity across the state since the competition’s inception.

“We say that no one really loses when you're fighting to provide meals for people in need, but we also really do like to beat Alabama,” said Jackson Wells, vice president of marketing for BBFD and a sophomore majoring in biomedical sciences. “We work with our collaborators at BABH to raise awareness and contributions for a full seven weeks. We’re on track to have our biggest year yet.”

“Our slogan this year is ‘Yes, We Can!’ What we mean is yes, we can beat food insecurity and BEAT BAMA.”

 

The stats on food insecurity in Alabama speak for themselves. Alabama has the fourth-highest hunger rate in the nation according to Feeding America — that’s one out of seven people.

“Access to food should never be a privilege; it should be a right,” Wells said. “It’s an unforgivably large number of Alabamians who are struggling to find their next meal. We’ve set a huge goal to double the amount of food we collect this year, but I know the Auburn Family can do it.”

BBFD partners with the Food Bank of East Alabama to collect non-perishable food items via their donation barrels placed across campus and the city. In addition, people can give online and know that each dollar will equate to two pounds of food.

“The fight against food insecurity always needs some extra soldiers,” Wells said. “There's a bunch of ways you can still get involved. If you are on campus and a student, join us. Participate in events, volunteer, spread the word about what we’re doing.”

“For our alumni and people outside of the university, the donation link is always open.”

The Beat Bama Food Drive is taking collections and online donations through Nov. 16.