Hollins University has received $1,900 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help nourish neighbors experiencing hunger. The Feeding the Hungry grant supports community feeding partners by helping neighbors increase their access to nutritious food and providing nutrition education to eliminate health risks for those experiencing food insecurity.
Food Lion’s financial support will be used to provide both food items and strategic programming related to healthy eating by Hollins’ campus food pantry, which offers nutritional assistance to the university community.
Today’s college students are more than twice as likely as the average American to experience food insecurity. A 2020 report from the U.S. Department of Education notes that almost one quarter of all undergraduate students reported low or very low food security within the previous 30 days, and over a third of undergraduates report having experienced at least “marginal food insecurity.”
Among limited income students, 31 percent reported low or very low food security. More than 40 percent of Hollins’ students are limited income.
“The campus food pantry supports Hollins’ mission of preparing all students for lives of purpose,” notes Gary Brown, Hollins’ vice president for student success, well-being, and belonging. “It also aligns with Transforming Learning, Transforming Lives, the strategic plan guiding the university through 2030, which focuses on the importance of fostering holistic wellness.”
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Salisbury, North Carolina-based Food Lion, which operates more than 1,100 stores across 10 southeastern and mid-Atlantic states. Established in 2001, the foundation is committed to supporting families facing food insecurity by providing financial assistance for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $18.9 million in grants.
