The SHOP @ TCNJ, a campus food pantry and resource to aid anyone facing food insecurity, continues to expand its offerings and resources through a grant from Governor Phil Murphy’s Hunger-Free Campus initiative, distributed through the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.
The funds allow The SHOP to increase its staffing, replenish its stock of household items and hygiene products, and purchase additional equipment, such as a freezer, a commercial refrigerator, and a microwave for storing and preparing food on site.
“As a free-choice pantry, we want to give our clients the opportunity to choose their food and household and hygiene items in a way that mimics shopping at a store,” said Nicole Harris, manager of health promotion and resiliency at TCNJ. “Our hope is to lessen any stigmas associated with having to come to The SHOP as a resource.”
Through a partnership with Mercer Street Friends, The SHOP now carries perishable items such as eggs and produce and receives frozen halal meat from Mercer Street Friends. The SHOP also partners with Trenton Area Soup Kitchen to receive and distribute frozen meals for clients.
The SHOP, which is open to members of the public as well as the campus community, has seen steady growth in visitation since opening its doors in 2019. In fact, in the past year, traffic has increased by almost 450 percent.
“The more we program, post, advertise, and speak about The SHOP, the more our client base grows,” Harris said. “The more the client base grows, the more effort we put into establishing community partnerships that benefit The SHOP and create ways for it to be self-sufficient and sustainable.”
The SHOP is located on the north side of Building 700 on Campus Town Drive, next to the fitness center. It is ADA accessible and has parking directly in front of the building.
Updated weekly hours are posted on The SHOP’s Instagram account.
— Luke Sacks