Alabama and Auburn universities hold annual food drive rivalry

The University of Alabama and Auburn University are conducting their 33rd annual joint food drive competition to combat food insecurity in the state. Running from October 1 through November 19, the initiative leverages the traditional rivalry between the two institutions to collect donations for regional food banks.

The University of Alabama’s ‘Beat Auburn Beat Hunger’ campaign supports the West Alabama Food Bank, while Auburn’s ‘Beat Bama Food Drive’ benefits the Food Bank of East Alabama. Last year, the combined efforts of both schools provided nearly 1.3 million pounds of food. Since the competition's inception in 1994, the universities have collectively raised over 12 million pounds of food for Alabamians.

This effort addresses significant local need, as Feeding Alabama reported that 919,160 residents experienced food insecurity in 2024, including approximately one in four children.