Earlier this month, UTSA and Texas State University went head to head on more than the field as they competed in the Huddle Against Hunger Challenge. From Aug. 30 to Sept. 7, Roadrunners and Bobcats united to raise money for their school’s respective pantries.
The Huddle Against Hunger Challenge was made to combat food insecurity among college students. The webpage describes the prize, “Together, we can address food insecurity in our community, starting right on our campuses, and help ensure student success at UTSA AND Texas State University.”
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office and The Hope Center, 3.8 million students experienced food insecurity in 2020. This federal data was gathered from the Department of Education’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study; it was reported that 23% of undergraduates and 12% of graduate students experience food insecurity. This translates to over 4 million students struggling with food security.
The school with the most donations was set to win $18,000, with the runner-up set to earn $12,000 — all respective proceeds applying to each school’s pantry. On the UTSA vs. TXST game day, it was concluded that UTSA gathered 942 donors, raising about $22,600 while Texas State collected 1,115 donors, winning the challenge by raising over $33,000. ‘Runners’ donations totaled $34,000 including their runner-up prize. UTSA Today reports that RBFCU and Alterman contributed $30,000 to the prize pool.
The Huddle Against Hunger Challenge page reads, “Regardless of the outcome on the football field, the real victory in the Huddle Against Hunger fundraiser belongs to the students.”
Karl Miller Lugo, UTSA Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement shares his praise to the community, “Thank you to all the donors who participated. Your generosity will support something very meaningful at UTSA by keeping Roadrunner Pantry shelves stocked year-round so that students can remain nourished while focusing on their studies.”
Together, ‘Runners and Bobcats raised $86,267 for their food pantries. For information on donating, please visit the Roadrunner Pantry & Whataburger Resource Room crowdfunding website.
