This Thanksgiving, the University of Arizona Student Unions will be providing free Thanksgiving meals to students staying on campus for the holiday.
In this endeavor, the Arizona Student Unions is partnering with Campus Pantry, the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, the Executive Office of the President, the Graduate and Professional Student Council and the Office of the Secretary.
According to the Student Union website, the deadline for students to register for these meals is Nov. 23. Meal pickup will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the South Ballroom of the Student Union. The meal selection will accommodate some dietary restrictions, with gluten-free and vegan meal options available.
According to Associate Dean of Students, Student Governance and Programs Sylvester Gaskin, last year 1,100 undergraduate students and 400 graduate students took part in this program.
Bridgette Nobbe, a coordinator for Campus Pantry, said there were 1,500 meals available this year as well, and between ASUA, the Executive Office of the President, GPSC and the Office of the Secretary, $13,000 was raised to fund this.
Nobbe stressed the importance of services like this on campus and encouraged students to take advantage of the resources available to them.
“On our campus, 36% of our students experience some form of basic needs insecurity. And that could be food, it could be housing, it could be transportation, could be clothing insecurity,” Nobbe said. “We’re always encouraging students to take advantage of the resources that are available to them. And this is just yet another resource that they can take advantage of.”
Nobbe also wanted to remind students that, while this particular program revolves around Thanksgiving, Campus Pantry offers similar resources to students year-round.
“So although this is more fun, marketed like it’s Thanksgiving, you can take advantage of the other resources like the Pantry that are available that go on year-round,” Nobbe said.
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