CCS student steps up to support her classmates dealing with food insecurity

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Cumberland County Schools student in Fayetteville has been helping her classmates who are struggling with food insecurity.

Marjorie Jackson told ABC11 that there is a little bit of everything here in the pantry at A.B. Wilkins High School.

"We have some cereals, things you know you can keep in the cabinet that shouldn't go bad real fast, a lot of canned fruits and canned goods down here," Jackson said.

Though CCS would only say that Jackson was at Alger B. Wilkins High School for just the past school year and is days away from graduating, her teachers said she has left a big mark in just one year by helping promote this pantry to her classmates, encouraging them to take food if they struggle with hunger at home.

Jackson said she knows the issue firsthand; she started out relying on the pantry herself.

"It takes the weight off parents' shoulders. It takes weight off some of the students' shoulders and family and loved ones," she said. "You don't have as much to worry about, so you can focus a lot more on school and class and things like that."

The school's social worker, Natasha Thompson, said hunger is a common issue for Cumberland County students.

"Maybe there is not going to be anything at home for dinner tonight because there's just -- we have a food insecurity at home. So, we all know that if your basic needs aren't met you can't go on to do anything else," Thompson said.

Principal Dr. Valerie Martin added: "We try to do our very best to make sure that they have what they need and take away the excuses so that they can come here and graduate."

Thompson said students will take over running the pantry from the school's staff next school year.

Jackson said she's excited to see who takes over the project next.

"We definitely will need somebody to take my place because the word has to get out," she said.