Piedmont Community College’s (PCC) chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society is participating in the third annual Collegiate Hunger Challenge, where it will compete against 12 other North Carolina colleges and universities for up to $10,000 to put towards fighting hunger on campus and in our communities.
The Collegiate Hunger Challenge was created by Food Lion Feeds and North Carolina Campus Compact, a collaborative network of colleges and universities committed to educating students for civic and social responsibility. Through the competition, which runs through December 10, PCC will earn points based on activities the school participates in, all centered around collecting and donating food for neighbors in need or hunger awareness.
As part of the challenge, each school nominates an MVP Student Hunger Ambassador who is responsible for leading the effort on each campus. PCC selected student Kayla Rice to serve as the MVP Student Hunger Ambassador to lead the campaign. Rice was selected because of her leadership skills and passion for service. She will work with PTK Co-Advisor, Dr. Don Miller.
“We had a lot of success last year and were able to do a lot of good because of this campaign,” Miller said. “We collected hundreds of non-perishables which massively benefitted our local food pantries as well as students on our campuses. But for as successful as last year was, we’re using that as a benchmark and hoping we’ll exceed those numbers this year.
PCC’s Food Lion Feeds Kick-Off event was from September 13-15, where students volunteered their time to register people’s Food Lion MVP cards in an effort to earn points.
PCC is awarded points every time a registered MVP number spends $100 at Food Lion; the more points the College earns, the better the chance it could win the $10,000 prize to benefit the community. Points are also earned in other ways like using hashtags on Twitter and Instagram, such as #FoodLionFeeds and #FeedThePacers, and by hosting other events on and off campus.
“We’ve made lots of progress so far while participating in this challenge,” Rice said. “But there’s still a lot of time left and a lot more we can do. We have just under two months until it’s over with plenty of plans for future events.”
Next, PCC’s PTK is collecting nonperishable food items during the College’s Fall Fest on October 26 on the Person County Campus and on October 27 on the Caswell County Campus. Every year, the College sets a goal to collect 200 cans and boxes of food, but last year more than 300 items were donated, and PCC received $1,000 of Food Lion gift cards which were given to students in need.
“We are so excited for the opportunity to win the $10,000 grand prize or any of the other prizes they’re awarding throughout the competition,” Rice said. “If we win, our plans are to use the money towards local food pantries in Person and Caswell counties and the greenhouse/garden on PCC’s Person County campus.”
Later in the semester, an event will be planned for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, between November 17-24, with more information to follow. To get involved, please email Miller at don.miller@piedmontcc.edu.
About Food Lion
Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has donated more than 500 million meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1 billion more meals by 2025. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.
About North Carolina Campus Compact
North Carolina Campus Compact is a collaborative network of colleges and universities committed to educating students for civic and social responsibility, partnering with communities for positive change, and strengthening democracy.
About Piedmont Community College
Piedmont Community College, a public two-year institution that provides diverse educational opportunities in a learner-centered environment, serves the citizens of Person and Caswell counties. The College’s mission focuses on assisting individuals to improve their quality of life through offering lifelong learning opportunities, as well as acting as a catalyst for economic development. Learn more at www.piedmontcc.edu.
Recent Comments