Black History and the Fight to End Hunger

The Food Bank joined our friends at Food Lion for an unforgettable surprise. At Feed The Pack Food Pantry, dozens of supporters waited silently for a special guest. Alyssa Griffin is the Pantry Manager at Feed The Pack, where she leads a team that serves over 750 people -- every month.

As Alyssa entered the pantry, she was welcomed with the 2026 FEEDYS Lion Heart Volunteer Award! Food Lion also gave 10,000 meals towards Feed The Pack's efforts to serve the NC State community. This is a part of Food Lion FEEDS' commitment to ending hunger at NC State and beyond. In 2025, Food Lion provided over 44,000 pounds of food donations to Feed The Pack!

Located inside the Pack Essentials Hub, Feed The Pack is open three days a week during the summer and four days a week during the academic year. 

Feed The Pack is set up like a typical convenience store with shelves of produce and nonperishable items, along with fridges stocked with meat, bread, and sweets. Visitors can shop like a normal grocery store after filling out an intake form and checking in. 

Under Alyssa's leadership, Feed The Pack provided over 100,000 meals in 2025. Her team is often called "a little army of Alyssas." Shift leaders are trained to schedule food pick-ups and lead volunteer shifts. Alyssa also significantly improved data systems to view the pantry's full impact. 

We're having an increase of 32 to 35 people a day. That just started a couple of weeks ago. And the food stamps have been changed. So peopel are hungry. They don't have the money to go and buy this and that...Either you buy your medicine, or buy gas, or buy food. 

– Hilda Royal Hands On Humanity Food Pantry Director

Across NC State, 30% of students experience food insecurity. Some are international students without food plans in a country they have never known. Others may have family who are unable to support them financially. 

Some team members once received food from the pantry. Program Associate Shishira Puttaswamy relied on Feed The Pack when she was an international student at NC State. Now, she welcomes visitors with the same kindness she received as a student. 

Alyssa embraces her team's lived experiences and creates an environment where people can be their most authentic selves. Shishira names Alyssa as a reason Feed The Pack feels like a family more than a workplace. 

I can tell you that nobody goes away hungry. That is the first thing we tell volunteers: nobody goes away hungry. 

– Roxann Landsdowne Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Chair of the Board