Market Now Serves More Than 250 Students a Day
Growing Need Drives Bulldog Market Partnership with Food City
As Alabama A&M University continues to welcome more students to The Hill, demand for the Bulldog Market is growing. Established to address food insecurity and other basic needs among AAMU students, the market highlighted its expanding role during a recent open house for students, faculty and staff. The event also introduced a new partnership with Food City aimed at generating additional support for the resource.
“We are seeing way over 250 students a day,” said Monica Clarke, director of the Bulldog Market. “We had our largest day last week. We had over 300 students show up in one day, so it is definitely a need, and we are always seeking help so that we can provide for our students.”
The numbers mark a significant increase from a year ago, when the Bulldog Market was serving more than 200 students daily.
As demand grows, the new Food City partnership provides another way for AAMU alumni, employees, students, families and community supporters to help the Bulldog Market meet that need.
Through Food City’s School Bucks Challenge, shoppers can link a free Food City ValuCard to Alabama A&M University. For every qualifying dollar spent using the card, AAMU earns one School Buck point. Those points help determine the University’s share of funds distributed through the program.
Food City is making $800,000 available to participating schools through its 2026-27 School Bucks program, which runs through April 30, 2027. Supporters can obtain a free ValuCard online or at a Food City store and select Alabama A&M as the school they want to support.
Porsha Nettles-Johnson, a Food City human relations coordinator and two-time AAMU graduate, helped bring the partnership to her alma mater.
“This partnership gives the AAMU family an easy way to support the Bulldog Market through something they are already doing — shopping for groceries,” Nettles-Johnson said. “By linking a Food City ValuCard to Alabama A&M, every qualifying purchase can help the University earn support for students who need it.”
Food City’s support extends beyond the School Bucks program. The company also supports the Bulldog Market through donations and campus pop-up events, providing food, beverages and other student necessities.
The need for basic-needs assistance extends beyond AAMU. New data from education technology company Ellucian shows that 75% of students at historically Black colleges and universities reported having to choose between paying for college and meeting basic needs, compared with 58% of college students overall. The 2026 Student Voice Report also found that 71% of HBCU students surveyed work full time, compared with 56% of college students overall.
Personal care items, including toothpaste and shampoo, and school supplies, such as notebooks, are available to students at the Bulldog Market.
Students can visit the Bulldog Market in Room 103 of the McCalep and McIntosh Building from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and receive three free items each day. In addition to groceries, the market provides personal care products, laundry supplies, school supplies and clothing.
Clarke said some of the most-needed items are those students can use quickly and easily in residence halls, including microwavable meals, breakfast sandwiches, snacks and bottled water. Deodorant, body wash and laundry detergent are also in high demand.
Other community partners are contributing as well. Madison County District 6 Commissioner Violet Edwards’ office provides bread to the market twice a week and supports a Stuff the Bus initiative for Homecoming. Through AAMU’s partnership with the Madison County Commission, the People’s Patch community farm also provides fresh produce to help address food insecurity.
With more than 250 students now visiting on a typical day, Clarke said the market continues to welcome donations from individuals, University departments, alumni, organizations, businesses and other community partners.
Supporters can also donate directly to the Bulldog Market here.
From left, Nina Swinton, AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer; Porsha Nettles-Johnson of Food City; Monica Clarke, Bulldog Market director; Xzavier Jackson, student worker; Kawania Harris, AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer; Sheri Stanley, Bulldog Market executive board secretary; and Christiana Coleman, graduate student, gather at the Bulldog Market.