HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. -- A partnership between The Kroger Foundation and Northern Kentucky University’s food pantry will help pay for a move from its location in a mailroom to a space more than seven times its size.
Professor Dr. Jessica Averitt Taylor created FUEL NKU in 2013 when she realized several of her students were hungry. The pantry served 650 students during the 2016-2017 academic year, and that number has increased each year.
The food pantry will move from its location in a 300-square-foot mailroom in the University Center to a 2,300-square-foot suite in the Albright Health Center. This will allow FUEL NKU to have refrigerators and freezers to provide healthier food options as well as areas for students to relax. The location will also allow for case management services, including connections to campus and community resources.
FUEL NKU’s mission aligns with Kroger’s goal to end hunger, Scott Hays, division president for the Cincinnati-Dayton division of Kroger, said in a statement.
“When students know where their next meal is coming from, they can achieve better results,” Hays said. “We’re proud to help NKU make positive change in these students’ lives.”
The donation is the first phase of a partnership to fight food insecurity on campus. FUEL NKU’s expansion is expected to be completed by early 2020.
