Alex Tucker is a University of Memphis alum and the representative for AmeriCorps Vista (ACV), the national service program designed to alleviate poverty. In this case, ACV helps the UofM with students who struggle with affording food, clothing and basic living needs.
Last Tuesday, Tucker organized an event called the Tiger Den Meal Swipe Drive. This drive allows students that don’t use up their guest passes for the Tiger Den to donate them to Tigers Fight Hunger, allowing students who struggle with food insecurity the ability to eat meals for free. Tucker said the operation speaks to the commitment that UofM students have when it comes to helping one another.
“We had volunteers that took time off their busy schedules to help out, and we had students give away their guest passes for something greater than themselves,” she said. “To me, that’s special.”
Tucker has been with the UofM since 2017, where she oversees Tigers Fight Hunger. The program began in 2015, initially a faculty-led organization, and eventually grew to a size that required external funding and support. Since partnering with ACV in 2017, the organization has been able to better serve students.
Additional information for volunteers and students can be found on their website at www.memphis.edu/tigers-fight-hunger or their Instagram handle @TigersFightHunger.
Joshua Rivera 