Harris Teeter gift supports food pantry

Harris Teeter recently made a donation to the Jamil Niner Student Pantry. A gift of $10,000 in Harris Teeter gift cards and industrial shelving to update the pantry’s storage needs will assist the organization’s efforts to combat student food insecurity on UNC Charlotte’s campus.

According to the Division of Student Affairs, this is one of the pantry’s largest donations from a corporate sponsor since efforts to create a campus food pantry began in 2012. Historically, most donations to the pantry come from on-campus partners.

The Harris Teeter gift card donations will enable the pantry to purchase nonperishable and protein items.

“When you think of the face of hunger, you don’t usually think of a college student,” said Danna Robinson, communications manager for Harris Teeter; she initiated the donation.

During the current academic year, the Jamil Niner Student Pantry has served 500 new clients, with more than 2,100 students assisted since the start of the fall 2018 semester.

“Harris Teeter’s investment is vital to our operation, as our pantry relies exclusively on the support of our campus and community partners,” said Kim Buch, pantry co-founder and professor in the Psychological Science Department. She added the donation “will have a tremendous impact on our students’ lives, and Harris Teeter’s commitment to our pantry is just another example of our hometown grocery store supporting its community.”

Photo: Nautica Lowe (student intern), Sean Langley (Jamil Niner Student Pantry co-founder), Ashley Rankin (student intern), Autumn Robertson (student intern), Safiya Rann (student intern), Julia Loomer (pantry graduate assistant), Kim Buch, Danna Robinson (Harris Teeter) and Nicole Sager (Harris Teeter).