[232] ACE Learning Center food drive boosts MTSU Student Food Pantry

Center, community partner collect 3,000 pounds of food

MURFREESBORO — MTSU’s Student Food Pantry welcomed a needed boost recently that restocked its shelves just in time for the holiday season.

The Ann Campbell Early Learning Center, previously known as Project Help, held a food drive in conjunction with community partner Jones Therapy Group that resulted in over 3,000 pounds of donated food collected for the pantry.

Located in the Student Services and Admissions Center, known as the MT One Stop, the MTSU Student Food Pantry is available to any currently enrolled student who shows a valid student ID. Students with longer-term food needs are referred to community partners such as Greenhouse Ministries.

The donated food continues to be needed. The pantry has been accessed over 300 times in the month of November alone, according to Becca Seul, pantry founder and a coordinator at MT One Stop.

“We could not serve our students’ needs without the thoughtful donations of our campus and community partners,” Seul said. “This month, we had two large food drives provide over 9,000 pounds of food for our holiday rush. BIG thanks to the ACE Learning Center, Jones Therapy, and all that participated in the CUSA food drive. Your generosity is helping us to feed many hungry students.”

In addition to the ACE Learning Center and Jones Therapy contribution, the pantry benefited greatly from the recent Conference USA food drive competition, which collected over 6,000 pounds of food at various athletic and other campus events a few weeks ago.

Among the large contributors to recent food drives were the departments of Business and Finance, and Health and Human Performance.

Since the student pantry opened two years ago, it has been visited more than 900 times, with homeless and foster care students among those who use the pantry. Students who are between paychecks or whose campus meal plans have run out also obtain food there.

The pantry accepts nonperishable items that aren’t expired. Among the most needed items usually are canned fruits and beans, pasta, peanut butter, crackers, fruit cups, rice, cereal, bottled water and Ramen noodles. See the full needs list at www.mtsu.edu/foodpantry.

People can drop off donations anytime the MT One Stop is open: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MT One Stop is located on the east side of campus at MTSU Boulevard and Blue Raider Drive, with visitor parking available off MTSU Boulevard.

Those wishing to help monetarily can also donate online at www.mtsu.edu/foodpantry. The pantry now has an MTSU Foundation account, which allows Seul to stock up on items available in bulk at less cost.

For more information, contact Seul at 615-494-8910 or becca.seul@mtsu.edu, or visit www.mtsu.edu/foodpantry.