Clearwater, Fla. – On September 23rd, RCS Pinellas and USF St. Petersburg will hold a grand opening ceremony to announce the launch of the campus food pantry and their partnership to help students in need.

The ceremony will be held on Sept. 23 at 2:00 p.m. in SLC1072 at USF St. Petersburg, located at 140 7th Avenue S, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. The event is open to the public and press is encouraged to attend.

President & CEO of RCS Pinellas, Kirk Ray Smith weighs in, “There is a clear correlation between social interaction and academic success. If a student goes without food, they’ll likely leave USF without a degree. Because hunger is no respecter of person, no person should go hungry. We’re honored and couldn’t be more excited about this partnership to help eradicate hunger.”

Dr. Martin Tadlock, Regional Chancellor of USF St. Petersburg, also shares, “Like so many other initiatives at USF St. Petersburg, the establishment of this food pantry was led by our incredible students. The pantry establishes a safe space for the collection and distribution of food and other necessities that help address the basic needs of college students who struggle to make ends meet as they continue their education. Many of us who work at USFSP, and many in the community who completed their degrees here, have been one of those students who struggled financially. I hope this encourages all of us in the USFSP community and in the external community to get involved with the food pantry.” 

RCS Pinellas has provided help & hope to people in need for 50 years. RCS’s mission is to feed the hungry, help families facing homelessness return to self-sufficiency, and empower survivors of domestic violence. Over 130,000 Pinellas County individuals are served annually with dignity to accomplish this mission at the RCS Food Bank, the RCS Grace House, The Haven of RCS, RCS Affordable Housing, RCS Energy Assistance Program, and RCS thrift store partnerships. 

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