Students make up for lost meals with hurricane relief

Despite the distance between Buffalo and the hurricane damage that swept New Orleans and the surrounding area, UB has truly made an effort to respond to their need for help. From providing a temporary home for displaced students to raising money and donating blood, college students on campus have proven their willingness to donate time, money and energy.

Now, no matter what meal plan students have, from the basic Flex Plan to the never-go-hungry-again All-in-One plan, students are helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina by donating unused meals to assist in the relief effort.

Thanks to the Skip a Meal program, which began Oct. 3 and is running through Oct. 21, students with meal plans will be offered the opportunity to donate the cost of one of their meals to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

Mitch Green, executive director of Campus Dining and Shops, said the Skip a Meal program was created so students without a lot of cash could help with relief.

"The Skip a Meal program allows for students to donate one meal per week from their meal plan for three weeks. The cost of the meal will be donated by Campus Dining and Shops to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund," said Green.

Residential dining services in Red Jacket, Richmond, Governors, Goodyear and Campus Tees in the Student Union are a few of the many places which make up campus services and shops and campus dining as a whole, and are helping with the Skip a Meal program.

Although campus dining did not invent the idea, they have seen the program through and guaranteed its success. Mary Clare Fahey, community service coordinator in the Leadership Development Center, said that it is the work of many which has allowed for the program to be possible.

"Campus Dining and Shops took responsibility to do all the advertisement, posters, flyers and banners for the Skip a Meal program," she said. "They have been incredibly supportive in their efforts."

The Skip a Meal Program has already had 1,000 meals donated and more donations are expected in the coming weeks, according to campus dining officials.

Jessica Miller, a sophomore international studies major, donated two of her meals by filling out a form in Goodyear's dining hall.

"I wanted to help out in my own way," said Miller. "Creating the option for UB students to not have to forfeit actual cash and instead donate one meal is a great idea. If students don't use all of their meals on their meal plan, they will go to waste, so they might as well donate a meal."

At any UB dining hall or at the UB Card Office, students can fill out a form in person to donate a meal to UB's Hurricane Relief Fund or tell the cashier in any of campus dining shops that they would like to skip their meal and donate the difference. Students can also find the donation forms on the UB Card Web site.

Students without a meal plan have a number of options: they can make donations online with Campus Cash or by credit card, or they can make donations by participating in other fundraising opportunities around campus, sponsored in part by UB's Help Now! Program.

Through a variety of events including a fundraiser that took place at the homecoming football game Oct. 8, and the sale of Mardi Gras beads and bracelets in the Student Union, students are offered multiple opportunities to do what they can to help the relief. In addition, students can buy tickets for a basket raffle in the Student Union or bring non-perishable food items to Harriman Hall on South Campus.

Fahey said the Donate a Meal program gives students a chance to donate what they can and become more involved with student life.

"I hope the program will raise awareness for students to continue to be involved not only in this relief effort, but to continue performing acts of kindness throughout life," said Fahey.