UA Public Relations Students Raise Over $5,000 For Secret Meals

TUSCALOOSA, AL — An upper-elective public relations class at the University of Alabama raised more than $5,000 last week for Secret Meals for Hungry Children, which discreetly provides meals to food insecure students in the area.

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UA Senior Instructor Susan Daria's APR 419 class — “Concepting and Implementation” —has been partnered since 2011 with the Alabama Credit Union’s nonprofit program, Secret Meals for Hungry Children, and raised over $250,000.

With classes divided into groups, each group is responsible for planning and implementing public relations strategies and tactics by hosting an event to raise money for Secret Meals.

"This class has shown my team members and myself the importance of building community relationships in order to raise money for a worthy cause," public relations major Carleigh Clark told Patch on Monday. "Our group was able to build our event from the ground up over the first 11 weeks of the semester, which made the night of our event so rewarding. It was a blessing to work on this campaign and we hope we did the program justice through our work."

The “Luck of The Draw” fundraiser was held at Innisfree Irish Pub on Nov. 9 and included bingo rounds with prizes donated by Innisfree. The event was made possible in part by 15 sponsors.

Through a pre-sale, which included a color-changing cup, in addition to armbands sold at the door and drink specials, the effort raised $5,320, which included donations and sponsorships.

In total, 65 wristbands were sold at the door.

"Luck of The Draw was an incredible opportunity to gain experience, not only as future public relations professionals, but especially to give back to our community," public relations major Trinity Hunter told Patch. "Being able to contribute tangible results to an organization like Secret Meals and knowing that this will help in the fight against childhood hunger is an honor."

The initiative allows school counselors and teachers to identify food insecure children in local schools, before providing 3.5 pounds of food packs to secretly place into those students’ backpacks on Friday afternoons.

Organizers for the event said the secret meal kits are organized and packaged at the West Alabama Food Bank in Northport.

Sponsors for the event included:

• Student Executive Council for the College of Communication & Information Sciences
• Kappa Kappa Gamma
• Gamma Phi Beta
• Chi Omega
• Taco Mama
• Innisfree Irish Pub
• Lou & Co.
• Pure Dermatology in Hoover, Ala.
• Wagner’s Run Walk
• Keller Williams Realty
• Sparrow Boutique
• The University of Alabama Interfraternity Council
• The Golden Hanger
• Alabama Vintage
• The University of Alabama Panhellenic Association

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