The Kennesaw State CARES organization partnered with Must Ministries to host a Pop-Up Pantry giveaway on Aug. 16 as part of KSU’s Weeks of Welcome.
During the pantry giveaway, all enrolled KSU students were able to scan their ID cards and grab prepared bags of dry goods, eggs, bread and other assorted items. CARES provided this event during Weeks of Welcome to introduce new and returning students to the benefits and resources they provide.
KSU CARES is a campus-based organization that provides support, assistance and resources to students who may be dealing with food insecurities and/or homelessness or who are at risk of being homeless, including those previously and currently in foster care.
Marcy Stidum, LCSW, MPA serves as Founding Director of KSU’s CARE services. The KSU CARES organization has now been recognized by the University System of Georgia and is KSU’s point of contact for homeless and foster care youth.
“Marcy Stidum’s driving force is to ensure students have the pantry to not go hungry,” said CARES Student Assistant Jayda Stallings.
The CARES food pantry is one of the primary resources provided by the organization. Located in the Carmichael student center’s room 172, students can come every two weeks and stock up on any needed items.
According to Health Affairs, 30% of all college students will experience food insecurity at some point in their college experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the closure of campuses created a drop in food resources for college students. The effects of food insecurity on college students have a major impact on academic and health performance. The stressors of college and lack of nutrients can also result in low attendance and completion rates.
Stallings explained that there was a need for students to have a resource for groceries and other necessities. Outside of the food pantry, CARES also provides several different needs that the center can fulfill including clothing and emergency shelter.
The food pantry offers a variety of foods to meet each student’s nutritional needs. To kick off a great semester, every student in attendance at the Pop-up Pantry was able to leave with food and household items.
CARES is a donation-run pantry accepting tangible and monetary donations to continue being a driving force and available resource for students. The CARES team accepts all donations by emailed appointments at careservices@kennesaw.edu.
For more information on CARES and how to get involved, contact them by email at careservices@kennesaw.edu. To learn more about the resources and benefits of CARES or to schedule an appointment, contact them by phone at 470-578-5260 or follow their Instagram.
