The University of Alabama and Auburn University will begin their annual food drive competition on Monday, and organizers are encouraging students, faculty, staff and community members to make donations to benefit area food banks.

The

and

campaigns will accept non-perishable food items and monetary donations in an effort to "beat" the other school in the drive, which will run until Nov. 18.

Last year, the Auburn initiative collected a record 234,116 pounds of food for the East Alabama Food Bank, besting Alabama's 218,510 pounds collected for the West Alabama Food Bank and snapping a three-year winning streak by UA.

Beat Bama Food Drive participants can drop off non-perishable food items at barrels on Auburn's campus. Monetary donations will be accepted

beginning Monday. The SGA is also

to benefit the drive. Organizers at Auburn have set a goal of collecting 271,000 pounds of food in this year's competition.

"Auburn's desire to give back to the community has always impressed and inspired me," Beat Bama Food Drive director Chelsea Crooks wrote in a letter on the group's website. "I can't wait to see what the Auburn Family is capable of this Fall."

Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger participants can find

around the UA campus and across Tuscaloosa. Monetary donations will be accepted at Bama Dining locations and can also be made by texting BAMA to 27722 or

.

"We want everyone in the UA and Tuscaloosa community to rally behind this cause and donate during the next six weeks in order to reach our goal of 250,000 pounds of food," Charlotte Brown, director of hunger and homelessness at UA's Community Service Center, said.

Both UA and AU have events scheduled to get the word out about the drive next week. On Monday, UA's Community Service Center will hold a

from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with music, food, and a donation drive to determine which UA official or student will get hit in the face with a pie on Wednesday. A Beat Bama Food Drive

will be held at the Auburn Hotel and Conference Center on Oct. 14 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m, featuring items from campus organizations and signed Auburn memorabilia.

Since the Beat Bama Food Drive and Beat Auburn Beat Hunger began competing in 1994, nearly three million pounds of food have been raised for families in Alabama.

Beat Auburn Beat Hunger:

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Beat Bama Food Drive:

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