Johnson C. Smith University and Food Lion Feeds Open Campus Food Pantry to Help Students

Campus Pantry Opening Feb. 19 is Part of Food Lion's CIAA-Related Activities

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Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), in partnership with Food Lion Feeds, opens the doors of its on-campus food pantry Thursday, Feb. 19, at 10 a.m. in the George E. Davis House, located at 301 Campus Street. The Golden Bulls Food Pantry demonstrates the university’s commitment to both battling the national trend of food insecurity among college students and shaping socially conscious leaders.

The pantry, which is made possible through support from Food Lion Feeds, is part of a national trend where universities partner with grocers to provide food for students who may need additional assistance during the academic school year. A recent report by Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, found that approximately 10 percent of food bank clients are college students. Nationally, more than 100 campus food pantries exist, with more than a dozen in North Carolina.

“Food Lion has a history of supporting CIAA institutions and this is a just another way in which these partnerships support the community and higher education," said Dr. Helen T. Caldwell, dean of the College of Professional Studies. "We are so grateful for Food Lion’s contribution and so proud of our students for taking leadership on this issue that affects their peers. The real world doesn’t stop at the campus gates, so neither should innovative approaches to social challenges."

Food Lion Feeds donated food and associates volunteered to stock JCSU’s new pantry. The company supports more than 30 food banks in its service area, four campus pantries and donated more than 60 million meals in 2014 to help those who are hungry. Today marks the first of two campus pantries opening in celebration of Food Lion's partnership with the CIAA.

"Food Lion is honored to partner with Johnson C. Smith University to open this pantry," said Allen Frost, Food Lion director of operations for the Charlotte area. "We believe no one should have to choose between dinner and receiving an education. Some college students are worried about their next meal will come from, and we want to help them focus on learning instead."

The Golden Bulls Food Pantry will also receive support from JCSU’s Department of Social Work students, who are designing most of the pantry’s protocols and managing the resource. The food pantry is housed in the headquarters of the Foster Village Network Center, a university-designed program that supports students who have transitioned out of the foster care system.

“It is widely known these students have little to no significant adult support,” said program director Pat Newell. “We are excited to have partners such as Food Lion Feeds to help our students with their goal of self-sufficiency.”

Other vulnerable populations, such as the adult and continuing education students enrolled in JCSU’s Metropolitan College, are also eligible to use the resource.

“Many nontraditional students in the adult degree program are employed and caring for loved ones while enrolled in courses in the evening," said Dr. Laura McLean, dean of Metropolitan College. "This pantry will alleviate some of the stress on those students who are in need of a helping hand.”

The installation of the JCSU Food Pantry is yet another initiative the university is providing to support the success of all of its students.

About Johnson C. Smith University

Founded in 1867, Johnson C. Smith University is an independent, close-knit urban university located in Charlotte, N.C. It has a growing national reputation for integrating the liberal arts with business, the sciences and technology in ways that empower tomorrow’s diverse enterprise citizens and leaders. Offering 23 fields of study to more than 1,400 students from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds, the university’s excellent academic programs, including a master’s degree in social work, focus on servant leadership, civic engagement and global responsibility. For more information about JCSU, visit www.jcsu.edu or follow the university on social media sites Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and http://pinterest.com/jcsu.

About Food Lion

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has committed to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need by the end of 2020. Food Lion is a company of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

Contact:

Food Lion
Benny L. Smith, APR
704-310-4077
blsmith@foodlion.com