Food pantries going up at Shaw University to help feed students

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Shaw University and Food Lion are partnering up to offer on-campus food pantries for students.

The first of six new food pantries at Shaw opens Wednesday, Nov. 3.

The food pantries will be located in each of the four residence halls on campus, in the student center for off-campus students and in the football house for athletes.

Shaw and Food Lion decided on the partnership after a report from Congress in June 2021 found that 72.9 percent of students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Southeast reported some level of food insecurity since the pandemic began.

That percentage far outweighs the roughly 10 percent of Americans who experienced food insecurity in 2019.

Food Lion is kicking off its partnership with a $15,000 donation.

"Food Lion Feeds is pleased to support Shaw University's on-campus food pantry to better serve as a long-term, sustainable resource for food-insecure students," Food Lion store manager Terry Workman said. "We want to help set students up for success. They should not have to choose between buying books and paying for food."