Sometimes it’s the smaller gestures that result in the biggest impact. As University of Lethbridge students gear up for late night study sessions and stressful final exams — a free breakfast and an encouraging note can make all the difference.

The University’s annual Giving Tuesday campaign — Buy A Student A Breakfast (BASAB) — begins tomorrow when students at both ULethbridge’s Lethbridge and Calgary campuses can pick up coupons purchased by thoughtful supporters. A pledge of just $6 buys a coupon redeemable for one breakfast sandwich and a piece of fruit at Urban Market (Lethbridge campus) or a breakfast sandwich with a small coffee or tea at the Tim Hortons in the Centre for Sport and Wellness. Calgary campus students will receive Tim Hortons gift cards.

“Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and community supporters, we were able to purchase 1,037 breakfasts for students last year,” says Cyndi Crane (BMus '95, MEd '01), University of Lethbridge Alumni Association president. “I’m really looking forward to handing out coupons on Wednesday, along with many other alumni and supporters from the community. I remember as a student how stressful it can get at this time of year.”

Student food security has been an ongoing issue in recent years and as food prices continue to rise, so too has the financial pressure on students. This is even more acute toward the end of a semester.

“It might not sound like much — one free meal — but it’s so much more than the $6 pledge, rather it’s an acknowledgment that they are part of a community that values their well-being and wants to see them flourish and succeed,” adds Crane.

The BASAB campaign has been collecting donations in advance of Giving Tuesday so that alumni and community volunteers would be ready to begin giving out coupons this week. This gives students more time to redeem the gifts before end of semester.

To make a gift and share an encouraging message for a student, visit go.uleth.ca/buy-breakfast.