Before you eat a couple pounds of turkey at Thanksgiving this year, consider 49 million Americans, who will not have an option to eat Thanksgiving dinner.
One in six Americans lacks access to an adequate amount of food, but students, faculty and staff can help make a difference through the 2013 Beat Bama Food Drive.
"The food drive is a critically important one for us," said Martha Henk, director of the East Alabama Food Bank. "It's not an exaggeration to say this food bank really makes a difference in whether people have meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas."
With a goal of reaching 350,000 pounds by Nov. 25, Auburn students are gathering donations from around the community to surpass the University of Alabama's goal of 275,000 pounds and secure its 12th title since 1994.
The goal is the average amount of food the EAFB delivers each month to families suffering from food insecurity, an increase from 2012's average of 315,000 lbs.
That year, through a combined student and community effort, the food drive was able to collect 276,000 pounds, a record-setting amount that exceeded both Alabama and Auburn's best since the contest began in 1994.
"Last year, a student came up to me on the concourse and she gave me 36 cents," said Mark Price, 2012 president of the Beat Bama Food Drive.
"She put it in my hand and said, 'I'm giving you this, it's not much, but I get food from the food bank,' and that was huge to me," he said.
"As an Auburn local, it's important for me to be a part of a food drive that affected my entire community."
Price said most people don't realize the depth of impact a well-stocked food bank can have on a community, or the people who regularly depend on it.
In 2012, the food bank generated food for more than 116,000 people in east and central Alabama, including neighbors, friends and former classmates.
"You hear the recession is over, but I will say there is part of the population that is really struggling," Henk said. "Basically, about one in five people for our seven-county area are considered food insecure. I've been here since 1995, and I will honestly say I have not seen a need greater at any time than it is right now."
The national food bank Feeding America was forced to significantly scale back its own donations to smaller banks around the country, leaving many communities to generate their own donated resources.
The Food Bank of Alabama continues to supply nearly 400,000 pounds of food every month.
The food bank has roughly 200,000 pounds of food left in reserve for people to last through November and December.
"We're currently sitting at 1,683 pounds, so we have a long way to go," said Leanna Barkley, president of the Beat Bama Food Drive committee. "We make it be about competition and of course we love beating Bama whenever we can, but at the same time, there really aren't any losers in this, only winners, and the real winners are the people fed."
Beat Bama Drive Events:
November 4th - Gigi's Benefit Day - all day
November 7th - Night 5k and Bike Ride at Chewacla State Park - registration at 4 p.m. and the race starts at 6 p.m. (registration is available online)
November 14th - TCBY Benefit Day - all day
November 15th - Silent Auction at the Alumni Center - 6-9 p.m.
November 21st - Open Mic Night - So You Think You "Can" Sing on the Auburn Green Space 6:30-8:30 p.m.
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