While some students decide where they’ll be headed for summer vacation, others are figuring out where their next meal will be coming from.

Thanks to MTSU’s Fraternity and Sorority Life, MTSU’s Student Food Pantry will soon be stocked with more than 3,000 items of canned food and other nonperishable goods for the summer. Current students in need of food can access the pantry for free.

During its spring Greek Week celebration, April 16-20, FSL encouraged its organizations to contribute toward the food drive, with the host of nonperishable donations to be delivered from the Student Union Building to the pantry inside MT One Stop by May 1.

A plastic tub full of canned food and nonperishable items are shown outside the MTSU Fraternity and Sorority Life’s offices in the Student Union Building. Donations were collected during the recent Greek Week food drive to benefit the MTSU Student Food Pantry. The donations will be moved to the pantry inside MT One Stop by May 1. (MTSU photo by Jayla Jackson)

Chi Omega sorority Chapter President Alex Revor finds comfort in giving back to students while volunteering in more ways than one.

Leslie Merritt

“It feels really good to volunteer, and I’ve gained more experiences like this through Greek life,” said Revor, who is also a former MTSU student ambassador. “Just knowing that this food can help people on our campus and make an impact is really great.”

This is FSL’s second time doing a food pantry drive for its philanthropic work, and FSL Director Leslie Merritt is happy to see members become more involved in special events such as this.

“I’m really proud the committee did a great job and themed each day of Greek Week … they definitely came together under healthy competition but also knew it was for a bigger cause,” Merritt said.

Some of the Greek Week committee members arrange the donations collected during MTSU Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Greek Week food drive to benefit the MTSU Student Food Pantry. The nonperishables will be moved from the Student Union to the pantry by May 1. (MTSU photo by Jayla Jackson)

Kristen Russell serves as coordinator of outreach and support programs at MT One Stop and oversees the operations of the Student Food Pantry, which is located on the second floor of the Student Services and Admissions Center. She believes any donation to the pantry is huge and extremely helpful.

“It’s great to see our fraternities and sororities giving back to students on campus … this time of the year we do see donations slow down, so with this donation each spring we can rest assure that we’ll get through the end of the semester,” Russell said.

The overall winner of the competition was Phi Delta Theta fraternity with over 1,000 items donated.

First opened in fall 2012, the pantry is available to currently enrolled students, who must bring their student ID to access the pantry.

For more information about MTSU Fraternity and Sorority Life, visit www.mtsu.edu/fsl.

For more information about the MTSU Student Food Pantry, including operating hours, drop-off times and needed items, visit www.mtsu.edu/foodpantry.

Some of the Greek Week committee members stand in front of the donations collected during MTSU Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Greek Week food drive to benefit the MTSU Student Food Pantry. Pictured, from left, outside FSL’s Student Union offices are MTSU sophomore Deshaun Covington, vice president of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity; senior Ramsey Ferguson, president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity; junior Alex Revor of Chi Omega sorority; and senior Christian Nevils of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. (Submitted photo)