Through a collaborative effort between the Parent Association, the Student Government Association, Bama Dining and the Dean of Students Office, a new program will offer nutritional meals to students in need.
Leela Foley, director of media relations for SGA, cited prior success with food assistance programs in the past as the driving force and inspiration behind the new “Got Meals?” program.
“The SGA led by Brielle Appelbaum created ‘Got Meals?’ after seeing the overwhelming student support for Meaningful Meals, which provided a Thanksgiving meal to local elementary school students in the fall of 2012,” Foley said.
“Got Meals?,” which first began in spring 2013, aims to provide University of Alabama students with adequate access to the food they need, Appelbaum, SGA deputy director of programming and advancement, said. She also said the process had been streamlined to provide easier access for students.
“Our vision when creating ‘Got Meals?’ was to create a program that bolstered meal donation numbers across campus and provided students in need with easier access to meal donations and assistance from the University,” Appelbaum said. “Students in need are now provided with immediate access to the Dean of Students Office from the comfort of their own home and can request up to seven meals before meeting with a counselor to assess further options.”
Appelbaum said students looking for assistance are provided an online medium managed by UA Information Technology, with the intention of running the program with efficiency while also providing confidentiality.
“The donation and request process is completely online,” Appelbaum said. “The ‘Got Meals?’ team is working with IT to have the donation and request page placed on the MyBama homepage for easier student access. We hope to encourage more students to come forward to request and donate meals.”
Dawit Soloman, SGA advisor to the executive vice president, said the process was born out of other programs aimed at providing assistance to those in need. He also said the program would offer a more confidential approach for students seeking food.
“We are building upon an already exciting program, improving the marketing aspect to better serve and reach a wider range of students,” he said. “Before you would have to go to the Dean of Students Office. Now we have a complete online process.”
Appelbaum said she values the program that she and the SGA started and hopes to see it bring help to students in need for years to come.
“I knew we could make a difference in students’ lives by creating a meal request process online and incentivize students with a current meal plan to donate more meals,” Appelbaum said. “The majority of students have an excess of meals at the end of the semester, and ‘Got Meals?’ allows them to take advantage of the surplus. My passion for helping students at The University of Alabama will continue to motivate me to serve. I look forward to the longevity and success of this program.”
Kristina Hopton-Jones, director of University Dining Service, said 642 meals were donated to 49 students last year. She also said meals would be given out according to the need of the student. Students could donate toward the program.
“Donated meals are given out on an as-needed basis,” Hopton-Jones said. “Donations and requests may be taken and given out throughout the year through the Dean Students Office. Every student who purchases a meal plan is allowed to donate one meal per semester.”
