Pellissippi State Triumphs Over Food Insecurity: Highlights from TBR’s 26th Annual Food Drive

Pellissippi State Community College recently made a huge impact by collecting nearly 50,000 food items for the Tennessee Board of Regents’ food drive challenge. This effort earned them first place in the statewide competition.

Out of the 49,470 equivalent items gathered, about 8,000 were food items, nearly 3,000 were school supplies, and over 1,600 were essential household and hygiene products. In addition, Pellissippi raised over $20,000 in cash donations.

Sandra Davis-Bullis, a specialist in the college’s Student Care and Advocacy office, praised the teamwork that made this possible. She said, “We have lots of great supporters. It’s inspiring how all our departments come together for the Pellissippi Pantry.”

She expressed gratitude to partners like Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Regions Bank, as well as contributions from college events like Pellidays Around the World and the Wild Goose Chase 5K race.

All collected items and money go directly to the Pellissippi Pantry, which provides food, clothing, and other essentials for free to students and staff.

Davis-Bullis explained the importance of these resources. She said, “Shopping at the pantry means money saved for other important things like gas or school supplies.”

During Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in November 2024, Pellissippi State distributed 150 meals and hundreds of additional meals for students during finals.

Many students at Pellissippi face financial hardships. Registrations for the Pellissippi Pantry jumped from 93 in fall 2023 to nearly 200 in fall 2024, highlighting this issue.

Christian Lockhart, the director of Student Care and Advocacy, emphasized the need for continued donations. “Students are using the resources available to help them succeed,” he said. “We want to provide support and a caring environment.”

This year, Tennessee’s community and technical colleges collected over 110,000 food items for campus pantries and local food programs. Since the program began in 1999, over 1.8 million food items and funds have been gathered.

If you’re interested in donating to or accessing the Pellissippi Pantry, visit their website to learn more.

Pellissippi State Community College is a public community college located in Knox and Blount counties in Tennessee, operating four campuses: Hardin Valley, Blount County, Strawberry Plains, and Magnolia Avenue.