03 October 2025

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Help stock the Filling Station for those in need

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To help stock the Filling Station, a food pantry open to anyone in our ASOD family who is experiencing food insecurity or needs help making ends meet, Adams School of Dentistry is holding a food drive starting Sept. 19 and continuing through Oct. 3.

The Filling Station, located on the ground floor of Koury, will accept non-perishable food items through Oct. 3. Boxes for donations will be on the ground floor, under the stairs. Monetary donations will also be accepted to help stock the pantry. 

“Our food pantry offers a way for our school to support our own and make sure no one needs to worry about where a meal is coming from or how to stretch a thin budget to afford a basic necessity like food. ASOD is a supportive community, and this is a great way to help our family members that may be facing food insecurity,” said Janet Guthmiller, DDS, PhD, dean, Adams School of Dentistry.

The Filling Station launched in 2023, but its intention continues – to help anyone at ASOD who may need food assistance at any time, without judgment. The food pantry is located out of the way on the ground floor of Koury so people can come and take what they need out of the public eye.

Monique Hayes, administrative associate in the Dean’s Suite, said she hopes anyone who needs a meal can take advantage of the pantry, whether someone is living paycheck to paycheck or simply dealing with a forgotten lunch and has no other means to pay for a meal.

“There are students, faculty and staff that just don’t have [the money to pay for a meal,]” she said. “I know a lot of the students are penny pinching, or with a scholarship, funds come from stipends for room and board, and food isn’t included. They don’t have the money, and some won’t ask for help.”

Hayes hopes the Filling Station can help fill in those gaps and give members of our ASOD family peace of mind when it comes to nourishing mind and body.

ASOD’s Tiffanie White, RDH, MEd, is working on her master’s degree in public health and was working on a project related to food insecurity. She discovered that 22 percent of college students were considered food insecure, and thought that was something that could be addressed at ASOD.

“For college students, it’s hard to function if you’re hungry,” White said. “We’re also in this environment with lots of people and illnesses going around, and if you’re not eating, you’re more susceptible to becoming sick. There’s help. You don’t have to go through this by yourself.”

Source: https://dentistry.unc.edu/