Grateful for the Extra Help

Grateful for the Extra Help

As a senior undergraduate at Northern Kentucky University, Jessica has her sights set on an ambitious future. Right now, she’s deciding between two career paths: athletic training or exercise science.

“I want to do research … so that takes a Ph.D. to do,” she says with a wince. “So, it’s going to be a minute before I do anything!”

Sadly, Jessica also feels the pressure of falling below the poverty line — facing significant financial challenges while pursuing her education. “I’m not provided [for] by anybody in my family, so I have to supply for myself,” she says.

That’s why her university food pantry, Fuel NKU, has become such a lifeline. It keeps her nourished, stretches her limited resources, and helps her access food items she otherwise couldn’t afford at the grocery store.

“I grab the free soups; I grab everything I know I can use to cook, and then that lasts me for the whole week,” she says.

What sets Fuel NKU apart is its accessibility and grocery store-like approach. Unlike other campus pantries that require appointments, students can simply walk in and select what they need. “I wish all other places did it like this,” Jessica says. “It’s just really helpful for people.”

With this vital resource, Jessica can focus on her education and have enough food to eat each week.

“This place is probably one of the most helpful things here,” she says. “I use it as a means to live. It really helps because I’m able to pay for my tuition and be able to eat.”

For donors like you who make the pantry possible, Jessica shares her heartfelt gratitude: “Thank you for making my life a little bit easier. It’s already hard as a student to do a lot of things, and having a little extra help gets us through a little bit better.”

Jessica is so grateful to have a friend like you who cares. Thank you!