The Smith Campus Ministries Building at UNCG, across the street from the Elliott University Center
Classes start again at UNCG in just two weeks, August 20. A significant number of returning and new students will be coming from families experiencing financial difficulty. Some will find themselves hungry and perhaps even homeless.
This is presenting unique challenges for many of our Spartans that are trying to do well in school, “fit in,” and figure out what their future will look like. … Without support systems in place, these students, many of whom prefer to remain hidden during hard times, are facing these challenges alone while struggling to provide for their own livelihood.
— the UNCG Dean of Students office
The Spartan Open Pantry helps provide food for these students and some staff members. Greensboro College students also are eligible. To be as successful as it can be, it needs support from the community.
Donations of food can be brought to the Wesley Luther ministry at the Smith Campus Ministries Center (adjacent to the Walker Avenue Parking Deck across from the EUC), Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment.
Donation boxes are located on campus at the Dean of Students office (EUC), Housing and Residence Life (Weil-Winfield), Office of Leadership and Service Learning lobby (Foust), Student Affairs (Mossman), Gove Student Health Center and Moore Nursing Building (first floor).
Monetary contributions can be made online or by checks written to the Wesley-Luther Campus Ministry, Smith Campus Ministries Center, UNC Greensboro, 500 Stirling Street, Greensboro NC, 27402.
What to donate
The SOP now accepts fresh fruit, vegetables and bread. These items can be accepted Mondays and Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Smith ACM or during SOP’s distribution hours, Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., at College Place United Methodist Church at Tate and Spring Garden streets.
“We, unfortunately, can not accept green beans, corn or peas,” the SOP says. “We have limited space to store food and need to use remaining space for other food types.”
The most needed items include:
- Bread
- Canned vegetables (especially high fiber)
- Canned fruit
- Dried fruit
- Canned meat (especially chicken)
- Canned beans (except green beans)
- Granola bars
- Trail mix
- Boxed pasta
- Pasta sauce (non-glass)
- Canned soup (both condensed and non-condensed, and microwaveable)
- Dried beans
- Peanut butter
- Powdered milk
- Jelly
- Rice (small bags)
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Breakfast cereals
- Chili
- Salt and pepper
- Salad dressing (ranch and Italian)
- Condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard)
- Cooking oil
- Small toiletries
- Soap
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Deodorant
- Toilet paper
The SOP also needs volunteers for a variety of tasks, among them helping to distribute food on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at College Place United Methodist Church. This opportunity involves checking dates, shelving food, folding laundry and other small cleaning tasks. You can use the volunteer schedule to sign up.
The pantry is operated by Wesley-Luther. It’s part of Partners Assisting the Homeless & Hungry Spartan, operated by the UNCG Dean of Students Office.