On Sept. 3, Beat Bama Food Drive held a vibrant kickoff for its 32nd annual food drive. The event featured free food and the opportunity to dunk a volunteer member in the well-loved dunk tank, as students gathered in support of an impactful organization on Haley Concourse, just steps from the Student Center.
Since its inception in 1994, BBFD has been a foundational competition, raising over 10 million pounds of food for Alabamians in need, including 908,928 pounds collected just last year. In partnership with the Food Bank of East Alabama, Auburn University engages in a friendly challenge with the West Alabama Food Bank and The University of Alabama to see who can collect the most non-perishable food. This drive has played a significant role in combating hunger and poverty across the state.
A Beat Bama Food Drive committee member explains the dunk tank rules to an Auburn student during their concoursing event on the Haley Concourse on October 3, 2025.
Nathan Meintjes, senior in interior architecture and vice president of community for BBFD, elaborates further on the drive’s purpose.
“We [Auburn and Alabama] try to raise money for our respective food banks," Meintjes said. "We do it for the Food Bank of East Alabama. They [Alabama] do it for the Food Bank of West Alabama. It’s a good way to give our rivalry a cause."
Today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the kickoff was held to celebrate the official start of raising both physical and monetary donations for the East Alabama Food Bank. Students, faculty and community members are encouraged to participate in the drive, which runs from Oct. 3 to Nov. 20, in support of the fight against food insecurity. Already, many students and administration are involved in the cause and excited to see what this year’s drive brings. With its friendly atmosphere and mission-focused goals, BBFD serves as an inviting and purposeful way for everyone to serve the community.
“Freshman year I joined, because I was trying to get to know people on campus," Meintjes said. "Coming from out of state, I didn’t know anyone, and ended up just falling in love with the cause, and saw how this organization really impacted people across Alabama."
For staff and volunteers, there are many reasons to get involved, from helping others to beating BBFD's counterpart and competing organization Beat Auburn Beat Hunger at The University of Alabama.
“I just want to help people. I’m mainly excited about beating Bama,” Hayden Sebree, student in sports production, said.
The dunk tank was the event’s main attraction. Students lined up to test their aim at the dunk tank, where a solid throw at the target would send a volunteer plunging into the water with a splash.
In the middle of the dunk tank, already soaked from previous successful hits, sat BBFD President Jackson Wells. In between dunks, he happily recounted his journey with BBFD.
“I started my freshman year. I was looking for a place to call home at Auburn. I was looking for a way to give back," Wells said. "[...] And I’ve been a part of it ever since. I’m excited to feed families in Alabama and beat Bama."
In the upcoming weeks, BBFD will continue to offer exciting festivities and events all contributing to the cause. This includes “Break the Bank week," grocery store days and other various ways to support the drive.
"It's really fun. I'm from Auburn, so I grew up doing it" said Abigail Cherry, exploratory freshman. "I'm most excited for the 5k on Nov. 2."
Beat Bama Food Drive serves as an exciting rivalry with a powerful cause. This year is expected to bring just as much impact and change as the previous drives – and even more so thanks to the ever-growing Auburn community.
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