Students donate meals to aid world hunger relief efforts

Sometimes Boston University students may take their dining hall meals for granted, but during “Hunger Awareness Week” from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29, sponsored by the Community Service Center, more than 2,500 students showed their solidarity with those around the world who experience hunger on a daily basis.

The week encouraged students to donate two meals each on Nov. 11 to Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that aims to fight poverty, hunger and injustice in more than 90 countries, according to its website.

Students signed up to donate meals at tables set up in Warren Towers, West Campus, the Towers, Shelton Hall and Myles Standish Hall.

“[After donating meals] students can either use dining points or guest meals or fast in honor of world hunger,” said College of Arts and Sciences junior Kelsey Mason, who volunteered at a table in Warren. “The meals are $10 worth of food supplies for impoverished areas.”

CSC Development and Alumni Relations Program Manager Eddie Chen said the drive has been the best one in its history.

“The event was a great success and the best it has been in its six year history,” he said. “We were able to gather 2,644 students to participate.”

Chen said he is “extremely proud” of the BU community for its participation.

“With the help of many volunteers manning tables outside of dining halls and dining services, this has been the most successful Oxfam,” he said.

Chen said the donations were part of Oxfam’s “Fast for a World Harvest,” and that BU students donating their meals represented “the fast.”

He explained the fast has two purposes: to raise money for Oxfam and to educate students on the hunger millions face each day.

“By experiencing the pain of hunger, be it just for one day, one may become more sensitive to the plight of those who do not have access to enough food,” Chen said.

The fundraiser is an easy way for students to give back to the community, he said.

“Students usually have plenty of meals left over at the end of the year and it helps out a great cause,” he said.

A similar event will also be held in the spring semester, Chen said.

“In the spring, the CSC will be running a similar fundraiser called “Food for Food’,” he said. “All the proceeds from that event will help fund the CSC and all the 13 different programs.”

CAS senior Mary Beth Picarella said she thinks the fundraiser has been a success.

“I’m a senior and I’ve been involved in the Community Service Center since I was a freshman,” she said. “A lot of people have signed up. Students participate because it’s an easier way to give to the community.”