Kroger’s Atlanta Division and Kennesaw State University unveiled KSU’s expanded KSU CARES food pantries at a recent ribbon cutting ceremony.
“Food insecurity among college students is an alarming concern – and one that often goes unnoticed by the general public,” said Felix Turner, manager of corporate affairs for Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “Through Kroger’s involvement with the expansion of the KSU CARES food pantries, we hope to bring greater awareness to this issue.”
Kroger’s Atlanta Division partnered with KSU’s Campus Awareness, Resource & Empowerment (CARE) Services to increase the scope and capacity of the university’s campus pantries, donating $50,000 for items including double-wide freezers, refrigerator, shelving units and a mobile kiosk, as well as design assistance.
“I am honored that Kroger values and supports the work being done by the CARE Services Team at Kennesaw State,” said Marcy Stidum, director of KSU’s CARE Services. “Kroger’s support grew the two pantries from a closet to a shopping-style pantry to now a one-stop comprehensive service location. With their support, CARE is set to offer fresh, frozen and refrigerated foods to all KSU students within each of KSU’s student centers.”
According to the #RealCollege survey conducted by Temple University’s Hope Center for College, Community and Justice, rates of food insecurity among students ranged from 42 percent to 56 percent at two-year institutions and from 33 percent to 42 percent at four-year institutions, with an overall weighted average of 43 percent.
KSU CARES pantries provide food for any KSU student experiencing food insecurity. All supplies are based upon donations and are available to students as long as supplies are continually received. More than 2,000 unique students have been served since KSU CARES began managing the pantries in September 2014 – and on average, KSU CARES distributes more than 11,000 pounds of food annually.
“Through our bold social impact program, Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, Kroger is on a mission to end hunger in the places we call home,” said Turner. “There is an absurdity that more than 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. is uneaten annually, and yet 1 in 8 Americans face food insecurity every day. During the pandemic that statistic has moved to 1 in 5 Americans – a statistic that includes college students.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CARE Services programs have assessed or assisted more than 650 student requests for emergency hardship and more than 160 students for housing and/or food insecurity needs.
Since resuming in-person shopping on Feb. 1, the KSU CARES pantries have helped more than 60 shoppers. KSU CARES operates two food pantries, one located on the Kennesaw Campus at 1000 Chastain Road in Kennesaw and the second located on the Marietta Campus at 1100 South Marietta Parkway in Marietta.
