Earlier this month, Florida State University’s dining services partner, Sodexo USA, awarded a $1,000 grant through its Stop Hunger Foundation to FSU’s Food for Thought Food Pantry to help combat food insecurity on campus.
“We will always have students in need,” said Gabe Branch, FSU Food for Thought Pantry’s program assistant. “But this grant allows us the security of knowing food will be available to them over the holiday season, and we will continue to make a difference in students’ lives. No one should have to worry about where their next meal will come from, but, if they do, the FSU Food Pantry is here to lighten the burden.”
Sodexo’s Stop Hunger Foundation has been working to fight hunger and malnutrition for more than 20 years. It now supports more than 15 on-campus food pantries in communities across America through monetary donations. Over the past 20 years, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed nearly $30 million to help feed those impacted by hunger in the United States.
“When I found the application, I knew many students would benefit greatly from this kind of support,” said Chantal Fortin, Seminole Dining’s sustainability coordinator. “When I received the congratulatory email, I was excited that this would ease a burden for them.”
The FSU Food for Thought Pantry, established in 2009, is managed by the Dean of Students Department and is completely funded by charitable donations. Since its conception, the pantry has been used more than 8,000 times and will continue to support students for years to come.
“Sodexo is proud to help our students in any way possible,” said Jay Degioia, district manager for Sodexo at FSU. “Making sure everyone is properly nourished is of great importance to us, and we will continue to make efforts to ensure every student is properly taken care of.”
For more information on the FSU Food for Thought Pantry, visit dos.fsu.edu.
About Sodexo USA
Sodexo USA is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 80 countries, that delivers more than 100 services across North America. Sodexo is a leading provider of sustainable, integrated facilities management and food service operations. It employs 123,000 Americans at 12,500 sites across the country and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional U.S. jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses.