Students are the focus of the University of Lethbridge's annual Giving Tuesday campaign Buy A Student A Breakfast (BASAB) which kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 28.
Students across the University's Lethbridge and Calgary campuses are getting ready for final exam season. Long hours in the library, study groups and power reading require extra fuel and perseverance. As the most important meal of the day, a healthy breakfast can be just the boost students need to start their busy day off right.
"The initiative has been running since 2018 and we're proud to say our community continues to step up with stronger support every year," says Diana Letts, an educator and a teaching development facilitator in the University's Teaching Centre and Co-chair of the ULethbridge Food for Thought program. "Our alumni donors have been especially supportive and we're once again looking to provide more than 1,000 student breakfasts at a really crucial time of year."
A pledge of just $6 buys a breakfast for a ULethbridge student. The gesture is small, but the impact it can have on a student's day is immeasurable.
"It's more than a breakfast coupon, it's a way to show our students how much our community values them and is behind them as they pursue their academic goals," adds Letts. "Many of our students are a long way from home and, during a stressful time of year, a reminder that there's a community here supporting them is really meaningful."
Brenna Scott (BA '16), a former University of Lethbridge Students' Union president, gives to the campaign annually and identifies with the stress students are feeling as final exams approach.
"I remember what it felt like to be a student during this time of year, and you need that little extra push," she says. "Giving Tuesday is a great way to show students you care. They can use their coupon to buy a breakfast and then get back into the library to study and make sure they have a great end to their semester."
The BASAB campaign begins Tuesday and runs through the end of the week. Each $6 donation buys a coupon redeemable for one breakfast sandwich and one coffee or tea at the University's Tim Hortons or Urban Café (Lethbridge campus) while Calgary campus students will receive Tim Hortons gift cards. Coupons will then be distributed by volunteers including ULethbridge alumni and members of the Food for Thought committee throughout the first week of the final exam period, Dec. 4-8.
To make a gift and share an encouraging message for a student, visit go.uleth.ca/Buy-Breakfast.
