(WITH VIDEO) – Racers Helping Racers is celebrating its one-year anniversary.

Racers Helping Racers is a food pantry open only to students. Those that are struggling to afford food can get access to whatever they need with their student I.D.

Because of the snow, the celebration banquet was postponed.

“We are going to have to send out invitations again because we are going to do an open house so people can drop by and see it,” Re’Nita Avery-Meriwether, director of the Curris Center and Student Life and founder of Racers Helping Racers, said.

Students are able to get a larger variety of products now. In the past, students could only get food products, but they now can get feminine products, toothbrushes and toothpaste, Avery-Meriwether said.

Compared to when Racers Helping Racers began, the organization has seen an increase in students using the pantry.

“We started this semester by sending out information to all the departments to let them know we provide this service to our students,” Avery-Meriwether said.

Racers Helping Racers also has been featured in local newspapers and television news talking about the pantry and word is getting out, Avery-Meriwether said.

Many student organizations get together and donate canned goods and food that will go toward the pantry.

The Panhellenic Council, which governs sororities, participate in a feminine product drive each year in support of Racers Helping Racers.

“If anyone would like to make donations to the food pantry, they would need to take it to Need Line first, since the products are donated through them,” Avery-Meriwether said.

After that Need Line will distribute the products to Racers Helping Racers.

Racers Helping Racers is always looking for peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, juices, and canned foods.

“We like to thank all our faculty, staff and students for their support of the food pantry,” Avery-Meriwether said.

Racers Helping Racers is located on the second floor of Blackburn Science Building in room 244. The food pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Story by Brittany Risko, Staff writer