EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Kroger has donated $20,000 to Eastern Michigan University’s Swoop’s Food Pantry in an effort to help eliminate food insecurity among EMU college students. Since 2018, Kroger has now contributed $40,000 to Swoop’s Food Pantry.

With an average of one in three students facing hunger, the mission of Swoop’s Food Pantry is to provide the community with food assistance and resources to positively impact well-being and success.

EMU student-athlete Melika Ghali’s challenges of budgeting for food are two-fold. They involve having enough money to go grocery shopping and making sure there is enough food to meet his demands as a distance runner on the track and cross country teams.  Budgeting for groceries as well as paying tuition, rent, or other bills is a constant struggle for many students.

“We are so thankful to Kroger and its commitment to helping end hunger,” said Christa Reid, Director of Development for Swoop’s Food Pantry. “We’ve seen a 50 percent increase in demand at Swoop’s Food Pantry just in the last year, so donations like this from Kroger are critical in helping us to keep up with that demand.”

The donation from Kroger comes as part of its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan, which was introduced in 2017 and stemmed from Kroger’s commitment as America's grocer to end hunger in its communities and eliminate waste across the company by 2025.

To learn more, visit the Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan website or to make a monetary or food donation visit the Swoop’s Food Pantry website  or contact Christa Reid, Director of Development at 734-487-0496.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves nearly 18,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and, its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.