Meet Change Maker Justin Franks, 20, a student at HBCU Alabama A&M University who has started a donation-based food pantry in his dorm to help feed fellow classmates in need.
As told to ABC News Justin had been working a shift as a desk assistant at his dorm in September when he said he noticed “a group of students had always been going to bed hungry.” “They didn’t have any food. The cafeteria here closes pretty early, and a lot of students here don’t have the money to go outside of campus to eat. I wanted to cater to those students,” Franks said in a recent TV interview.
Using $40 of his own money, he bought packages of instant noodles and Capri Sun juice drinks. That small stash of food has since exponentially multiplied thanks to donations from sororities, fraternities, alumni and the community. Franks is now running a full-on food pantry in an old mail room of his dorm in Huntsville. It’s complete with all kinds of snacks and drinks and even personal hygiene products. The pantry is open from 6 p.m., when the cafeteria closes, until 11 p.m.
“A lot of students are busy and might not have time to get to the cafeteria before it closes, but it’s important they still get to eat,” Franks said.
Many students “have come up to me and said how very grateful and appreciative they were for what I’ve started since they’re financially unable to eat out,” he added.
And though Franks is a full-time student who also works three part-time jobs, he said he will continue to always make time to help others.
“‘Service Is Sovereignty’ is our school’s motto and I want to live up to that,” he said. “I’m hoping that we can keep expanding the pantry and that it’ll continue for years to come.”
Now this is greatness, way to go Justin, thank you for being an amazing Change Maker!
