Students at The University of Louisiana Monroe gathered earlier this week to give donations and bring awareness to the issue of hunger on campus. As part of the Louisiana Board of Regents’ Hunger-Free Campus initiative, ULM held a non-perishable food donation drive on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the Student Activity Center. Students who donated food received a ticket to the “Roll Away Hunger” event at Skate Town on Wednesday, Sept. 20.
Robert Reed is the Assistant Director of Recreational Services and the Chair of the Hunger-Free Task Force at ULM. He said 143 students made donations over the two days, with a total of more than 500 items donated. Reed said over 100 students gathered at Skate Town on Wednesday evening for the “Roll Away Hunger” event.
Another aspect of the Hunger-Free Campus initiative is the “Swipe Out Hunger” program, which is sponsored by SGA each semester. As part of the program, students with unused meal swipes can donate them to the swipe bank and students in need can complete a swipe request form. Meal swipes are then distributed based on a review of need. SGA President David Hernandez says over 1,200 swipes were donated in the Spring 2023 semester.
Reed says the Food Pantry accepts donations from anyone throughout the year. Donations can be made in the Student Activity Center during regular hours. For more information about the ULM Food Pantry, click here.