Troy Store returns to help students with meals

The Department of Student Activities announced the official reopening of the Troy Store for the fall semester. With their full restock of snacks, drinks, nonperishables, and refrigerated/frozen food items, UAE students and off-campus students are encouraged to stop by Foster Hall in the basement to choose from their wide selection on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

The Troy Store was established in 2017 by Ebony Acton (Miss VSU 2016-17), Shai West (SGA President 2016-17), President Abdullah (VSU President), Dr. Letizia Gambrell-Boone (Vice President of Student Success and Engagement), along with the help and partnership of The Department of Student Activities and Food Lion Feeds Foundation. Their goal was to advocate for students who stayed off campus with no meal plan and financial struggles by providing them with groceries.

“Most traditional off-campus students have a college struggle,” said Demond Daniels, a senior political science major, and store volunteer. “They can’t quite financially afford to make things happen, VSU wanted to implement a way that they can help their students have meals on the table.”

So far students are already taking full advantage of this facility. On Thursday afternoon, the week of the store’s reopening, many students showed up to the store making the second-day turnout be what the store operators and volunteers deem a success.

“The turnout has been great from the social media push,” said Julia Griffin, Student Activities Administrative Assistant and store operator. “Before we had to drag people in here and we would only get two or three people within three hours. Now we’re seeing 10 people in 30 minutes.”

Feelings of appreciation are felt by many of the students. With their new knowledge of the store, they are pleased that VSU recognizes their needs and the benefits of allowing such a necessity as food to be freely accessible to them. 

“I’m glad somebody had a kind heart,” said Anaya Nazareth, a freshman criminal justice major. “I think it’s sweet that someone wanted to help give back.”

“I feel like it’s a great thing for the community,” said Marshall ‘Red’ Brown, a freshman mechanical engineering technology major. “Everybody that comes here doesn’t have everything situated, so it’s very great that they have a store where you can come and get food for free.”

The Troy Store also helps the school community by providing food boxes for emergencies and holidays and in addition to food, the store keeps feminine hygiene products in stock for women for free as well.

“In case of an emergency like a fire, we’ll fix a box or a bag to give out with food prepared,” Griffin said. “We’re always here in case of a need because you never know what may happen.”