Carson-Newman University students needing food and clothing will get some help.
On Thursday, the university cut the ribbon on “The Store,” a food pantry and a career closet located on the third floor of the school’s Baker Building, with local dignitaries, including representatives of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, C-N faculty, staff and students in attendance.
Students will have free access to the pantry and career closet. The school has also built a partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture to provide food for students. A related speaker series that also began Tuesday will provide students with free workshops about how to successfully dress and prepare for job interviews.
“We know how important it is to be professionally dressed for a job search,” said Mark Workman, director of career development for the university.
“I am so grateful to be a part of a community who not only sees a need and prays about a need, but through the empowerment of the Lord, meets a need,” C-N President Charles A. Fowler said. “We are a community of difference-makers.
“I’m grateful for our (Student Success Center) for doing this. Students have needs, and we’re thankful we now have a place to fulfill those needs.”
C-N’s Student Success Center launched these initiatives in response to nationwide trends of college students facing food insecurities and struggling to afford professional clothing for job interviews. Nationwide, 41% of four-year college students are food-insecure, according to a 2019 survey by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice.
“(The Store) is born out of the reality of the sensitivity of our faculty and staff and their commitment to our students,” said Dr. Ross Brummett, senior vice president for Student Affairs. “This feels good, and right and holy, because it reflects well who we are — our student-centeredness and our commitment to them.”
“We had a student about two-and-a half years ago who worked two jobs, and had no money for food or any other supplies. We also found students who didn’t have the proper clothing for interviews,” said Gloria Walker, co-director of the Student Success Center. “We started talking about it then, and here we are today. So many people on our faculty and staff had a part in this.”
Walker also said it took a lot of helping hands to transform The Store from an idea to a reality.
“Our Student Success staff has been amazing. We’re helping our students get food and clothing when they need it,” she said. “Between Wal-Mart, Women of Vision (a ladies’ group made up of campus graduates) and all the other groups that came to help us, we were able to get this done.
“Our maintenance department was absolutely amazing. They did everything we asked of them.”
At the beginning, Walker and co-director Amy Humphrey needed a starting point to get a project off the ground. Fortunately for them, Brummett came through with the answer.
“We honestly did not know what (a food pantry and a clothes closet for students) looked like in practice, so we went to (Brummett), because we needed a space, and his help,” said Walker, who also serves as the director of academic development for student-athletes. “He secured three rooms, one for food, one for clothing – and a third space for volunteers to separate those items.”
The Student Success Center had to start the project with literally no money. Nevertheless, through local donations, including a $1,200 donation from the Wal-Mart Foundation, Walker and her team were able to raise more than $10,000 to open The Store.
“We started off with a budget of $0 – and we raised over $10,000. We thank Wal-Mart and Jefferson County in helping us with this,” Walker said.
“We’ve been involved with Carson-Newman on several occasions over the last 25 years,” said Joe Gibson, store manager of Wal-Mart’s Jefferson City location, who presented the $1,200 gift to the university. “We always want to be a part of any charitable project they’re doing.”
The Store is still looking for volunteers among students and faculty to help out with food and clothing, as well as a volunteer coordinator. However, Walker said it shouldn’t take long to find both.
“We have people who want to get on board, including retired faculty and staff,” she said.
