Giving Tuesday: St. Augustine's University gets $10K donation for scholarship fund

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- As many people make donations to their favorite charities on Giving Tuesday, a day when people can give back after a weekend of holiday spending, the National Alumni Association of St. Augustine's University donated $10,000 to fund scholarships.

"The students are very dear to the heart of the alumni and they're very invested in their future," alumna Dorothy Roper said.

The donation is one of several local efforts aimed to help students in need, including filling the shelves at the food pantry on campus, which has been a go-to for students like De-Carlos Rowell.

"The canned goods, I'm able to warm them up in my room, definitely during the winter time like now when it's cold outside, it's best to warm them up," Rowell said. "Definitely the toothbrush, toothpaste, making sure that my hygiene is taken care of."

Rowell said he's a first-generation college student, like the majority of the 1,200 enrolled at St. Augustine's University.

"I grew up in a household of five, single mom, and so having this food pantry is sentimental," Rowell said. "It's a really great place to come to ... when things happen in the family and mom can't be there, or you can't do it on your own."

For two years, the food pantry on the second floor of the Boyer Building has met the needs of students thanks to local support.

Director Joyce Bannerman said despite the stigma surrounding food assistance, she finds that students are more comfortable in coming to the food pantry than before.

"There are a lot of food insecurities for students due to maybe their financial difficulties, and being away from home, maybe lack of family support," director Joyce Bannerman said. "It doesn't matter where you come from, what your background is or financial status is, it's just open for students. We're so pleased to have this resource here available for them."

Bannerman said they replenish the shelves very often and plan to supply more food for the next semester.

"Not only financial, we do accept supplies (such as) feminine products, toiletry, whatever it is that students need instead of having to go outside the university to purchase these things," Bannerman said.