CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — North Georgia Technical College’s drive-thru food pantry served more than 100 people Thursday morning in Clarkesville, with organizers hoping to double that number before the event wrapped up.
“It’s kind of slowed off right now, so we’re hoping we’ll get more,” said Sherry Seal, who helps coordinate the effort, speaking around 11 a.m. as cars continued to move through the line.
The event, held in the campus swimming pool parking lot, marked the college’s second drive-thru pantry, following its inaugural event in August. Seal said more than 100 individuals had already been served by mid-morning, with organizers aiming to reach about 200 by the end of the distribution.
Between 10 and 15 volunteers assisted throughout the day, loading boxes of food directly into vehicles as participants drove through.
Grant helped launch campus pantry
The pantry program began after NGTC secured funding through the University of Georgia’s Embark program, which supports student success initiatives.
“So we applied for a grant through the Embark program with the University of Georgia, and we were able to start our own food pantry on campus,” Seal said. “And so part of that, we’re also doing mobile food pantries throughout the year.”
While the college maintains a daily pantry inside the Carlton Student Center for students, faculty and staff, Seal said the drive-thru events are designed to extend that support into the broader community.
“The mobile, though — that’s the outreach for the community,” she said.
Partnerships make distribution possible
Food distributed at Thursday’s event included drumsticks, canned vegetables, pasta, beans, peaches and other staples, all sourced through the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
NGTC operates its pantry through a partnership with Neighbors for Neighbors, a Toccoa-based food pantry that serves as its sponsoring agency.
“They’re our sponsor and agency, so we’re like under them,” Seal said. “That’s how we’re able to do this on campus.”
The college has maintained a relationship with the regional food bank for more than 25
years, she added.
Ongoing support available
For those unable to attend the drive-thru event, Seal said resources remain available on campus.
Students, faculty and staff can access the daily pantry, where individuals can select items in a shopping-style setup with set limits to ensure equitable distribution.
For members of the public in need, the college also plans to set aside pre-packed boxes with available items from the pantry.
“We want to give them some options to pick out things they really like,” Seal said. “But for the public, we will have boxes that will be set aside if somebody needs to come in.”
NGTC plans to continue hosting drive-thru food pantries once per semester as part of its ongoing effort to address food insecurity among both students and the surrounding community.
