Students and faculty can skip a meal this week and participate in the first program directed by Meal Exchange in the U.S.
Meal Exchange is a nonprofit and has operated in Canada since 1993. It has since spread to 50 universities in Canada and now to UNM.
Junior Tullivan Begay started the program at UNM after she worked on a group project that won first place at a research learning symposium.
"It all started when I read my sociology book and I learned about a student in Canada who had extra dining points," she said.
The Canadian student, Rahul Raj, started Meal Exchange after refusing to let his leftover meals go to waste, Begay said.
"It's a great way for students to do something with their leftover meals, and it doesn't let anything go to waste," Begay said.
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By signing up for Skip a Meal, students who have meal plans will not eat Nov. 12 between 4 and 9 p.m. at La Posada. A meal will be provided for these students in Hokona Hall.
The money students would have spent on a meal at La Posada will be collected by the Skip a Meal program and donated to the Rio Grande Food Project and the Storehouse.
"The good thing about this program is students know that all of their proceeds are going to stay in their local community," Begay said.
A dinner at La Posada costs about $7, and Chartwells will donate $3 for each student who signs up for Skip a Meal.
"The reason for the $3 is that this is a starting point, and I'm grateful that Chartwells agreed to participate in the program," Begay said.
Student Zachary Emerson, a volunteer for the program, said participants will be entered in a drawing to give money to the charity of their choice.
"People who sign up are entered to receive $200 to donate to either the Rio Grande Food Project or the Storehouse," he said.
Lee Maynard, president of the board of directors at the Storehouse, said $200 would make a big difference to the hungry in Albuquerque.
"As long as the money goes to support hunger relief, I'm a happy guy," he said.
Maynard said the Storehouse donated 2.3 million meals last year and the average cost of a meal for one person at the charity is $1.76.
"I personally think that this estimate is low, and donations are down," he said.
Begay said the Skip a Meal program is the first part of her plan to help reduce hunger in the area.
"The Meal Exchange organization actually has three core programs: Trick or Eat, Skip a Meal, and Clear the Shelves," she said.
Begay started planning the Skip a Meal program in March of last year and hopes to organize a Clear the Shelves program this year.
"Clear the Shelves is basically one big food drive that encourages students, for example in sororities and fraternities, to donate the food that they have left over from the semester," she said.
As of Wednesday, more than 300 people had signed up to either donate a La Posada meal or give a cash donation, Begay said.
Sophomore Ernestine Vigil said she plans to donate a meal to the cause.
"I think this is a great program to be involved in, and it doesn't require a lot of effort to make a difference," Vigil said.
Students and faculty have until Friday to sign up for Skip a Meal, and all proceeds from the program will count towards UNM's United Way goal of $1 million in charitable donations.
