It may come as a surprise, but 38% of U of I undergraduate students struggled to obtain food for themselves in the past 12 months according to the 2017 Study on Collegiate Financial Wellness.
This occurrence – called food insecurity – is rooted in several factors including inadequate income, lack of transportation, or an emergency situation that could land a person in a tight spot. One immediate solution to food insecurity is food aid. Grocery Bingo is a fun, free, and easy opportunity for students to win groceries and other food-related prizes like blenders and other kitchen appliances. The event, hosted by Vandal Health Education, Campus Recreation, Vandal Entertainment, Resident Hall Association, Tri-State and KIND Snacks, is happening Friday, April 12th at 9 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center. The event also helps raise awareness about the Vandal Food Pantry – a resource on campus open to all.
You may have heard of the good old fashion game of BINGO before! There will be a total of 5 rounds of bingo and multiple games of bingo within every round. There are three normal rounds of bingo, one “I” round and one “Blackout” round. During the “I” round, participants are trying to block out the scorecard in the shape of a Vandal “I” using the top, middle, and bottom rows whereas the blackout round, the participants are trying to fill out the entire scorecard. It is extremely easy to win as there are multiple games of bingo per round of action and other ways to win throughout the night. As the rounds advance, the prizes get bigger and better and in the event of a tie, there will be tiebreakers.
Additional games such as a cheering competition and a dance contest are held during the break to provide more opportunities to win. Well-liked and staple groceries such as taco supplies, spaghetti ingredients, and snack bags, are available to win as well as kitchen appliances, cookware, a raffle for a $100 grocery store gift card (must be present to win) and more. Options for switching bags due to dietary needs will be available. We play until all the groceries are gone so prepare for a plethora of chances to win.
The event is open to all U of I students, so bring your friends! Participation in Grocery Bingo is completely free, and we expect to have a great turn out as this event has been popular in the past. Make sure to show up early to get a good seat!
Grocery Bingo is not only a fun late-night activity but also serves as a way to bring awareness to a basic need – being food secure – that may be lacking in many students’ lives. All students deserve the chance to be food secure and we want to give all students the opportunity to become aware of the issue and bring attention to helpful resources while having fun winning free groceries while playing Grocery Bingo. Save the date — Friday, April 12 at 9 p.m. — you won’t want to miss out on the amazing prizes and entertainment!
By Michael Swank and Madeline Brown