Launched in February 2019, N.C. A&T’s Aggie Source Food Pantry has supporting individuals by alleviating the stress associated with short-term food insecurity, this semester they are partnering with Sodexao to have a giveaway.
Since the food pantry first opened, their mission has been helping to fight hunger and food insecurity, by supplying students with snacks, canned goods and miscellaneous products to bring back to their rooms.
The Aggie Source is located behind Williams Dining Hall, at 205 Nocho Street, Suite 115, in the old Sebastian Health Center, where it is primarily run by students.
The hours of operation for the food pantry are Mondays and Wednesdays from 12-3 p.m.
Gabrielle Jackson, an Aggie alumnus and coordinator for the Aggie Source, is happy to have the food source open, even if the times and dates are reduced.
“The process for the food source is a little similar to how it was last year, we are open multiple days a week, and modified our hours slightly,” Jackson said. “Students are able to complete an online order form where they are able to request an appointment to come in and pick up items.”
The Aggie Source is limiting one student to pick up their items at a time and they are not allowed to bring guests into the store with them.
“Now we have 1891 Connect, last year we had OrgSync, but it is very similar. We still have the students go in and complete an application,” Jackson said. “Now through their email, they will receive an appointment request form, with that form they go in and select all the items they would like to receive from us, we pre bag it and they come to pick it up on whatever day works for their schedule and they are able to receive food […]we still try to maintain that sense of client choice so students are still able to choose what they want from us.”
A number of students prefer the way the pantry used to be because they believed it gave them more control over their food choices.
ShaQuita Whiting, a junior lab animal science and animal science student, is happy that the Aggie Food Source is still open, but hopes that it can get back to the way it once was.
“I like it better in person only because you are able to see what you are getting versus online you aren’t able to pick out what you want, somebody else is picking that out for you, so it is a 50/50 chance you are going to get what you want and actually use it,” said Whiting.
The goal of the food pantry this year is to make sure that all students can reach their nutritional needs and ensure that students are not having to spend too much of their own money on food.
“We have partnered with Sodexo for a Spread The Joy campaign, which is something Sodexo is doing nationwide, we are hoping to amp up student engagement, wanting them to feel some type of normalcy with everything going on,” Jackson said. “Students can enter the sweepstakes for a $100 gift card for themself and a $500 gift card to the food pantry, we are officially promoting this next week.”
The Spread The Joy sweepstakes began August 31st, and it will be running through November 20th, but campaigning will begin this week. Students can enter the sweepstakes daily and with an unlimited amount of submissions.
Students can find more information on this sweepstakes and about the Aggie Source Food Pantry on their Instagram @ncat_aggiesource, and their Twitter @ncataggiesource.
More resources and the application for the Aggie Source Food Pantry can be found on 1891Connect.
