Roane State receives Swipe Out Hunger microgrant to support campus food pantries

Swipe Out Hunger, the leading national nonprofit working to end college student food insecurity, recently announced that $3,000 microgrants will be distributed to 17 colleges to support their campus food pantries. Roane State Community College is included on the list of recipients.

This is the first cycle of Swipe Out Hunger’s inaugural campus pantry microgrant fund, which started as part of the organization acquiring the College and University Food Bank Alliance in October 2021. Seventeen partnering campus pantries were selected by lottery to receive funds to be used for their campus pantries.

“Beyond best practices and a community of support, campus pantries made clear to us that increased funding was the most impactful way they could better support students’ basic needs,” said Rachel Sumekh, Founder and CEO of Swipe Out Hunger. “We are thrilled to help colleges across the U.S. strengthen their pantries, and we’re even more excited to learn how, with some additional support, campus pantries can better meet students’ needs.”

At Roane State, the college’s three campus pantries will split the grant funds evenly and use those dollars to improve services and better aid RSCC students. The Raider Pantry in Roane County plans to purchase a larger freezer to replace the mini freezer it currently utilizes to store frozen food items. It will also use some of the funds to purchase food items to stock the pantry.

The Brain Food pantry at the Oak Ridge Branch Campus will purchase much needed shelving and tables, in addition to food items. The Cumberland County Pantry will use funds to purchase food, in addition to paying stipends to student workers who help operate the food pantry.

These grants and Swipe Out Hunger’s greater pantry work are made possible thanks to the support of ECMC Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Zale Foundation and community members who believe no student should have to choose between food and their education. The full list of Spring 2022 microgrant recipients is available at swipehunger.org/spring22grants.

Following the end of the grant period in August 2022, Swipe Out Hunger will begin its Fall microgrant cycle. Additional information on Roane State’s food pantry services are posted online at roanestate.edu/foodpantry.