Harris Teeter Announces $250,000 Total Commitment to Five HBCU Student Food Pantry Programs

Company pledges $50,000 to each school over five years

Matthews, N.C. – Harris Teeter announced today that it is partnering with five Historically Black Colleges and Universities to combat food insecurity in Harris Teeter’s market areas.

Harris Teeter is pleased to partner with Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T State University, Norfolk State University and Howard University. These partnerships will allow each student food pantry to stock and replenish shelves with much-needed items to support students in need.

Food pantries, like these ones, help students who struggle with food insecurity so that every student has access to nutritious food. The five partner student pantries are serving more students than ever in the past two years, with many clients using the campus resource for the first time.

“At Harris Teeter, we’re proud to feed our communities,” said Paige Pauroso, communication specialist for Harris Teeter. “We realize that many people in our communities struggle with food insecurity, including college students. That’s why our partnership with these student food pantry programs is so important. We want to ensure students have access to fresh and nutritious food, so they can concentrate on their education and well-being."

According to The Hope Center, 39% of surveyed college students across the country had experienced recent food insecurity, an issue that has continued to grow during the pandemic.

Harris Teeter is committed to raising awareness and funds to eliminate hunger throughout the communities it serves. Harris Teeter has already established partnerships the student food banks at UNCC and Appalachian State University. We are pleased to add Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina Central University, Norfolk State University, Howard University and North Carolina A&T State University to the Harris Teeter family. For more information about Harris Teeter’s community efforts, please visit harristeeter.com/community.

About Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter, with headquarters in Matthews, N.C., is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). The regional grocery chain employs approximately 35,000 associates and operates stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia.