Anyone can face food insecurity, whether they’ve had trouble paying bills, a medical emergency, or job loss. That’s why UAB’s Blazer Kitchen, located in the Hill Student Center, is on a mission to ensure that the UAB community is food secure, no matter their circumstance. Blazer Kitchen is an on-campus resource where you can grocery shop for free to ensure you always have food, hygiene, cleaning, and even parental essentials. Operating on donations, Blazer Kitchen offers necessities to all UAB students, faculty, staff, patients, and their families.
Since 2017, Blazer Kitchen has provided over 400,000 meals, 89,000 of which were provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reportedly, first-generation college students, international students, and single-parent students agreed that Blazer Kitchen’s support allowed them to stay enrolled at UAB. This support has helped students and employees during their most vulnerable times.
Here are some of the resources that Blazer Kitchen provides:
Food Items:
- Cereal
- Dried milk
- Pasta and rice
- Pasta sauce
- Snacks
- Juice
- Oatmeal and grits
- Frozen meats
- Milk
- Cheese
- Veggies
- Fruits
School Supplies:
- Calculators
- Pens, pencils, highlighters
- College ruled paper
- Index cards
Personal Hygiene Items:
- Soap
- Deodorant
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Lotion
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Sanitary napkins and tampons
- Laundry detergent
Other:
- Diapers
- Baby wipes
- Household cleaning items
- Pet pantry items
Blazer Kitchen provides help obtaining other food resources like S.N.A.P., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to further your food security. They also educate students on nutrition information and ideas around expiration dates and food safety. Blazer Kitchen operates on donations and volunteers. To give back, you can volunteer, or donate monetarily by dropping off items or using their Amazon Wishlist.
UAB has two convenient locations: The student-only option is in room 303 of the Hill Student Center. Students can shop at their convenience from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. All you need is a valid ONE card and your reusable bag. There is no waiting period, just register online or visit their office at your convenience. The second and largest location, open to all students, faculty, staff, and UAB patients, is at 1613 11th Ave. South by appointment only.
To learn even more about this great service, visit Blazer Kitchen’s website here.