LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) — Central Virginia Community College alumni held a drive-thru food pantry on Wednesday in Lynchburg for current students to help address food insecurity.

The CVCC Alumni & Friends Association partnered with Kroger and a Boy Scout Troop 180 in Forest to assemble 200 kits of non-perishable food.

“We have sauces,” said Laurie Gulluscio, CVCC Alumni President and organizer of the food pantry. “We have grain bars. We have soups, soups, cereals, apple sauce, some items for the kids we try to throw in. Some families have children.”

Vice President of Institutional Advancement Chris Bryant says the college identified this as a need among students.

“We’ve recently done a survey where we know that our students had some food insecurity,” said Bryant, “so we want to rise to the occasion and help them eliminate those things so they can focus on their studies and their skills.”

Bryant, who is also the Scoutmaster of Troop 180, says like everything else, the pandemic has intensified food insecurity, which student Rachael Griffin recognizes personally.

“With everything that’s been going on with my husband’s job declining,” said Griffin, “we were worried, and this was a really, it was just nice. It was a nice thing to do. Especially cause of my kids.”

Griffin is a mom of two with a third on the way.

“I can make anything out of anything, so anything that the kids like to snack on, I mean they eat every two hours!”

It’s a gesture that meant a lot to Griffin.

“I’m thankful for people who are trying to help the community.”

Bryant says food insecurity is a chronic problem, and they plan to hold another event in November.

Latest Stories