The University of North Texas at Dallas and North Texas Food Bank held their last mobile pantry before Christmas Friday. UNT Dallas hosts a mobile pantry once a month.
"We are here to support them," says UNT Dallas' Eronia King. "If they are needing help with food, don't be bashful or ashamed to come."
The mobile pantry started at 9 a.m. People at the front of the line say they pulled up around 6 a.m. By the time the pantry opened, the line stretched about half a mile down University Hills Blvd.
"We appreciate it," one man said as he was parked in line with his wife. "Everything's expensive. Work can't give raises, they can't pay any more."
Volunteers loaded non-perishable food, fruits, vegetables and meat into each car.
"I have the time," one volunteer who is a UNT Dallas employee said. "The semester is over, so why not give some of my time to do something good for the community?"
UNT Dallas says 85% of its students are minorities; 70% are the first in their family to attend college. Many grew up below the poverty line.
"One of the missions at UNT Dallas is to serve our community and really focus on upward mobility for our students," King says. "I think this distribution really does help with that."
The mobile pantry was open to anyone. UNT Dallas also has a permanent food pantry open to students. The school says 1,226 students used the pantry last year, and more than 2,900 have used it since it opened in 2015.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD