UA Wins 2011 Beat Auburn Beat Hunger Food Drive

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama won the 2011 Beat Auburn Beat Hunger Food Drive by collecting 237,079 pounds of food to top Auburn University’s collection of 134,102 pounds of food.

UA’s collection is an 8.5 percent increase in food donations from last year.

“I am so proud of the work that our students and the staff of the West Alabama Food Bank put into the drive this year,” said Wahnee Sherman, director of the UA Community  Service Center. “The food drive was truly another example of this community coming together to help others.”

Since its inception in 1994, the Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive and Beat Bama Food Drive have collected more than 3 million pounds of nonperishable food for needy families in Alabama. This year’s drive was held Oct. 10-Nov. 18 and is UA’s eighth win in the annual competition and a comeback win after last year’s losing effort.

“I think the community has come together after the tornado,” said Charlotte Brown, student director for Beat Auburn Beat Hunger. “Each day since, they have shown what an impact they can make for each other.They continued to show that with this drive and showed how everyone can get behind one goal and help those in need.”

All food and money collected from the Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive will go to the West Alabama Food Bank. The WAFB works with nine counties in West Alabama, serving a population of more than 315,000 residents. The food bank has distributed more than 17 million pounds of food to date.

In addition to feeding West Alabama, the food bank has also assisted in tornado relief in the Tuscaloosa area. Many of the proceeds from the Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive will help restock the pantries of families who were displaced by the tornadoes.

For more information, contact the Community Service Center at 346 Ferguson Center or go to  beatauburnbeathunger.ua.edu.