CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOOD BANK OF EAST ALABAMA
ALABAMA —
Another “food fight” is underway as the annual Beat ‘Bama Food Drive kicked off on Sept. 29. For the past 29 years, Auburn University and the University of Alabama have competed with each other prior to the Iron Bowl to see who could raise the most food for their local food bank. It began as a relatively small-scale event and has grown to become one of the largest food drives in the state.
Last year, Alabama took the win with a record-setting 565,983 pounds of donated foods compared to 550,117 pounds for Auburn. Together, more than 1 million pounds were collected.
This year’s competition runs from Sept. 29 through Nov. 16 and it promises to be fierce. Donated food will be used to help the food bank’s senior programs, soup kitchens, emergency food pantries, missions and rehabilitation centers that are served by the Food Bank of East Alabama and the West Alabama Food Bank.
You can help. The competition is primarily a student-organized activity, but is strongly supported by the local community, with food drives at many local businesses and public schools. Also, a number of local grocery stores help to facilitate community donations by allowing the food bank to place barrels in the store lobby during the food drive.
Locations of collection barrels (updated regularly):
• Kroger – Auburn
• Kroger – Opelika
• Sam’s Club
• Winn-Dixie – Opelika
• Winn-Dixie – Auburn
• Auburn-Opelika Tourism
• Bitty and Beaus
• Domain – Auburn
• First Year Experience
• Homecare of East Alabama Health
• Irritable Bao
• Max Fitness
• Stacks
• Stamp Auburn
• The Yard
• Top Hat Chimney Sweeps
• Whataburger
• Food Bank of East Alabama, Auburn
• Community Market, Opelika
• Numerous locations on Auburn University campus
For a list of updated donation locations, visit www.foodbankofeastalabama.com and click on “Beat ‘Bama Food Drive 2023”.
