Story By: Cameron W. Johnson

On November 25th, the University of Montevallo began a food and toiletry drive for the school’s Food Pantry, due to conclude with the semester on December 13th.

This is the second year in which Montevallo’s Counseling Services erected in Farmer Hall a cardboard Christmas tree, adorned with cards featuring captioned pictures of non-perishable items needed for the school’s Food Pantry.  Items suggested for this year’s holiday drive include boxed or canned food, hygiene items, and gift cards for gas, pharmacies, perishable groceries, etc.

“Donations are distributed on an individual basis,” said Alesia Griffen, the new Coordinator of Case Management for Counseling Services. “Students who are in need can call Counseling Services and set up an appointment with a case manager… and you’ll be able to access the pantry as needed.”

Introduced in 2014 by UM President John Stewart, the Food Pantry is a year-round service that provides donated goods to Montevallo students in need.  These items may be donated by students and faculty to the office of Counseling Services, which is expected to relocate to Puryear House at the beginning of next semester.  The annual food and toiletry drive is merely a promotion of this service.

Saying that the food drive is integral to sustaining the Food Pantry from year to year, Counseling Services Director Josh Miller says that the food drive “helps keep the doors open; helps keep items in the pantry to be donated… As much as we want the items or need the items to sustain the Food Pantry, um, we also want people to know that it’s here.”

For more information on the Food Pantry going into the new year, contact UM’s office of Counseling Services.