Skip–A-Meal Program benefits hungry
Flooded with memories of the smell of roasting chilies and freshly-made tamales, most people think of Albuquerque as a place where tradition and food are so intertwined that they unite current and former residents throughout the nation. However, as in most cities, many Albuquerque residents face a daily challenge in finding something to eat. Students and faculty at the University of New Mexico can take a stance against hunger in Albuquerque with the Skip-A-Meal Program, which runs through Friday, Nov. 7.
Part of the Meal Exchange Organization, a program founded by Canadian student Rahul Raj in 1993 at Wilfrid Laurier University, the program launched Monday to address hunger in the Albuquerque metro area.
Tullivan Begay, founder of the UNM chapter, first read about the program last semester in her sociology class and presented it at the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium. The program was so well-received that Begay and her friend Geneva Thompson decided to bring it to the United States.
“There were two or three chapters that had the idea of starting [the Meal Exchange Program] in the U.S., but they weren’t proactive at actually carrying out any of the programs,” Begay said. “I thought, I am a residence hall student and I have a lot of meals left from my account, so I might as well do this.”
Collaborating with Chartwells Dining Services, the Meal Exchange Organization allows both off-campus and residential hall students to participate in the Skip-A-Meal Program. Off-campus students can participate by donating cash or Lobo Cash, while residential hall students can sign up to skip one meal at the designated locations in the Student Union Building and La Posada Dining Hall.
“The proceeds from that meal will go to two charitable organizations, the Storehouse and the Rio Grande Food Project,” said Begay. “All the students that sign up will be entered into a $200 drawing and Chartwells will donate that money to either the Storehouse or the Rio Grande Food Project.”
The Skip-A-Meal Program is not the only way students and faculty can relieve hunger. Last week through the Trick or Eat Program, volunteers trick-or-treated for non-perishable food items for local food banks and services agencies, while they spread awareness about hunger throughout the neighborhood.
In addition, as students clean out their dorms at the end of the semester, the Clear the Shelves Program provides students an opportunity to donate unused food, clothing and furniture to local charities, rather than hauling them home for the summer.
For more information, contact Bobby Childers, Housing & Dining Services, at (505) 934-5879 or childers@unm.edu.
Story by Jazmen Bradford