Fayetteville State University opens food pantry for students in need

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fayetteville State University held a ribbon-cutting Tuesday for its new food pantry. The pantry is in the old cashier's window on the first floor of the Barber Administration Building.

When you think about food insecurity college students are likely among the last to come to mind. However; student leaders at Fayetteville State say hunger happens.

"This has been one of our initiatives that we've been trying to fix for numerous of years," said Karee Brown-Jones, FSU Student Body President.

After nearly two years of research and planning, Fayetteville State unveiled its new food pantry for students in need.

"Of the 6,500 students here at FSU, a large majority are commuter students. So they face the same real-life issues that people outside the university face," said Wesley Fountain, FSU Director of Government and Community Affairs.

The chancellor said it is a matter of meeting students' needs.

"If we're not doing this, then I don't think we're really serving the students as we should," Chancellor Dr. James Anderson said. "We're giving the students the intellectual food they need so why not actually give them the food they need?"

But it's not just your typical shelf items, FSU's pantry has two commercial-grade refrigerators to store fresh fruits and vegetables.

"We need to make sure we meet their nutritional needs and that holistic development of the student will occur here," Dr. Anderson said.

Though Food Lion provided $10,000 in product and shelving to get the pantry started, students and local community partners will keep it going.

"Second Harvest Food Bank will help us keep it stocked. We'll also have student-led initiatives to keep it in stock as well," Fountain said.

The hours for the food pantry are Wednesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m.