University Housing and U of A Cares partnered to provide more than 275 meals to 22 students during this recent winter break.

Eight of the 22 students requested meals for the entirety of the break while dining services were closed.

In addition, meals were provided to students who were placed in quarantine over break but who could not isolate or quarantine at home.

A form was circulated prior to the break where students could ask for food, provide any dietary restrictions, and tell organizers if they had access to cooking items, such as a microwave or can opener.

From here, University Housing and U of A Cares collaborated to build each student’s meal box for the break. Students that requested assistance for more than 10 days (about 1 and a half weeks), or stayed the entirety of break, were provided alternative frozen meals and recipes to ‘spice’ up their meal box.

This food and wellness initiative has continued to grow over the past two years using a multitude of methods such as cooking classes and a holiday buffet on Christmas Eve.

U of A Cares and University Housing staff ;hope to continue this partnership to support students experiencing food insecurity over break periods.

Contact Andrea Allan at aallen@uark.edu or Maddie DeBucce at mdebucce@uark.edu for more information.

This article was first published Friday, Jan. 28, 2021 in University of Arkansas News (Newswire).