An Alabama A&M student is receiving national praise and recognition for his work to provide food for others in need. So far he’s helped 100 of his classmates through a program that he’s organized out of his dorm room.
During the day, Justin Franks is a full-time student, a part-time desk assistant at his dorm, and a manager at a Montgomery-area fast food chain. With a mere $45, and he set out to open a food pantry that would benefit his fellow students.
“I noticed that there were some students that said they were going to bed hungry,” Franks told Atlanta’s Fox5 news station. “So, I thought about it and said, ‘What can I give back to my community?’”
He said that an initial stock of Capri Sun juice drinks, bottles of water, and noodles has now grown into much more. Once a Facebook post about Franks’ mission went viral, he says that donations from others on campus and within the community began pouring in. Now, his pantry features multiple shelf units that boast a greater variety of items, including chips, cooking oils, canned goods, pasta sauces, and personal care items.
Franks says that he opens shop between the hours of 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., after the college’s cafeteria closes for the night. He added that students can take advantage of the pantry up to three times a week.
In an interview, he credited his faith as the reason he took action.
“To me, it just makes me feel like I’m blessing someone,” he said. “I’m a religious person and I feel like I can bless a student. Some nights, students will be like, ‘Man, I really appreciate this because I didn’t have anything to eat.”
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