Governor Kay Ivey will help kick off Auburn University's Beat Bama Food Drive and The University of Alabama's Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, alongside college students and mascots representing both campaigns.
Ivey will officially proclaim Wednesday, September 30, 2026, as Beat Bama Food Drive and Beat Auburn Beat Hunger Day in the state of Alabama and will make the first donation to both schools.
The kickoff will be held at 10:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time at the Alabama Governor's Mansion foyer, 1142 S Perry Street, Montgomery. Media may enter through the guard shack at the Finley Street entrance, and those planning to attend must RSVP to Communications Director Gina Maiola by 8:00 a.m. Wednesday.
The food drives are annual, student-run events created by the Center for Service and Leadership and the West Alabama Food Bank in 1994. During the seven weeks leading up to the Iron Bowl, the drives unite students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members from both universities to fight hunger and poverty.
Last year, the two schools combined raised over 1.2 million pounds of food during the seven-week duration of the food drives.
Photos from the event will be available afterward for publishing and broadcasting purposes.