With a local food insecurity rate of 18.4%, according to Feeding America, organizations on campus and in Lafayette County are offering food and community support to those in need this Thanksgiving.
In preparation for the holiday season, Grove Grocery has ramped up its food collection efforts. Grove Grocery — located in Kinard Hall, Room 213 — offers groceries, toiletries and cleaning products to University of Mississippi faculty, staff and students.
“Grove Grocery serves all students on campus, many of which are out-of-state or foreign exchange students who have limited options when traveling home for the holidays,” Grove Grocery Director Capri Lobotzke said. “In an effort to serve students on campus for Thanksgiving, Grove Grocery partnered with ASB to put together Thanksgiving baskets for any students or staff in need of more food this Thanksgiving. Last school year alone, we donated over 20,000 meals from our pantry and reached over 2,600 students.”
Grove Grocery also offers a meal swipe program, a form of temporary assistance that allocates meal swipes to eligible members of the UM community. In addition to in-person resources, the food pantry provides grab-and-go bags that those in need are able to pick up and take with them, online grocery ordering and nutritious recipe options.
“Meeting students in their time of need is Grove Grocery’s No. 1 priority, and this is especially important during Thanksgiving,” Lobotzke said. “In continuation with our previous efforts, we are still donating meal swipes to students who apply through the link in our Instagram bio (@GroveGrocery).”
In addition to campus resources, there are several organizations in the Oxford-Lafayette community offering Thanksgiving meals.
Sister, S.O.A.R., Inc. is a non-profit mentor and rehabilitation program designed to empower women and girls in Mississippi. They are inviting individuals and families facing hardship to attend a free Thanksgiving lunch at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Stone Center, located at 423 Washington Ave. in Oxford. Meals will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.
Chris D. Jones, executive director and founder of Sister, S.O.A.R., Inc., spoke on the ways her organization is aiming to support the community.
“This is our second year doing this event; we started it last year. It was so successful we decided to do it again,” Jones said. “We are providing a free turkey dinner with all the trimmings. We’re giving away a couple of turkeys and door prizes. We’re just doing things to show our community that we love them.”
KD Hill, in partnership with Taylor Grocery, will host the third annual Chucky Mullins Thanksgiving Dinner for the residents of the Oxford Housing Authority from 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 25 at the Inn at Ole Miss. Cline Tours will offer transportation to the event for OHA residents.
Members of the Oxford community facing food insecurity are also encouraged to visit the Oxford Food Pantry at 713 Molly Barr Road. The pantry supplies short-term and emergency food assistance to eligible residents on Wednesdays (age 65 and under) and Thursdays (age 65 and older) from 9-11 a.m. The pantry will be closed during the week of Thanksgiving and will resume regular hours the following week.
“I think the organizations that are providing free food to the community are doing something truly incredible,” Aubrey Haskins, freshman exercise science major from Apollo Beach, Fla., said. “They chose to step up and do something that can really make a difference in our Oxford community. It truly shows how big their heart is.”
Direct and indirect volunteer opportunities in the Oxford community can be found on Stronger Together Oxford’s website.
