Purple Pantry
Free to all enrolled ECU students
Located in the Main Campus Student Center & Health Sciences Campus Student Center
See below for operating hours
The mission of the ECU Williams-Ross Purple Pantry is to decrease food insecurity among the students of East Carolina University and increase access to other personal care items. Since opening in the late spring of 2018, students have been able to collect their most needed food and hygiene items. Members of the ECU community dedicate their time, talent and treasures to create a sustainable resource on campus to combat food insecurity.
ECU’s Williams-Ross Purple Pantry is housed in the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement and is a collaborative effort between many entities of ECU’s Division of Student Affairs. While we have many organizations and departments we work with, some of our closest partners are the Department of Technology Systems (College of Engineering and Technology) and the Dean of Students Office. With many things taking place at ECU, our Greenville-Pitt County Partnerships are also paramount to ending food insecurity on our campus and in our community. Much of what we do could not be accomplished without the likes of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC and the Churches Outreach Network here in Greenville.
More history, facts, and information on ECU’s Williams-Ross Purple Pantry can be found here.
Fall 2024: Operations and Locations
The Williams-Ross Purple Pantry will be open for Fall 2024, starting Monday August 26th.
Hours of operation can be found below.
Main Campus
Main Campus Student Center
- Location: CLCE Suite, Suite 208 Main Campus Student Center
- NEW! Hours of Operation:
- Monday and Wednesday: 10AM-12PM
- Tuesday and Thursday: 1PM-5PM
- Friday: Closed
- NEW! Shoppers will be able to visit once a week. Shoppers will be encouraged to bring their ECU 1-Card to present to a Williams-Ross Purple Pantry volunteer and/or staff member.
Mini Pantry Locations
- Located between Mamie Jenkins and Mendenhall on Main Campus
- Located outside of Laupus Library on Health Sciences Campus
Health Sciences Campus
Health Sciences Campus (HSC) Student Center Purple Pantry
- Location: Room 122A HSC Student Center (Enter through hallway to the right of HSC Recreation Center)
- Hours of Operation: Thursdays from 2PM-4PM
- To gain access and/or directions to the Pantry at other times, please visit the HSC Student Center Welcome Desk
*Note: All hours of operation are subject to change.
Swipe Out Hunger
Students experiencing food insecurity and/or a student emergency, will now get access to healthy and well-balanced meals at West End and Todd Dining Halls. Swipe Out Hunger is for students who live off campus (undergraduate, graduate, dental and medical). Swipe Out Hunger offers short-term help until students obtain sustainable funding or other resources.
Swipe Out Hunger applications are now open for the 2024-2025 school year, you can find the link here.
Volunteer with Purple Pantry
Interested in volunteering with Purple Pantry? Please email PurplePantry@ecu.edu if you have any questions.
Donate Items to Purple Pantry
Individuals and organizations can donate items to Purple Pantry, Monday-Friday from 1:00-5:00 p.m. in the Main Campus Student Center, Room 208. If planning a donation drive, please email PurplePantry@ecu.edu to confirm our most needed items, dates of drive, and drop off time/date. You may also donate via our Amazon Wishlist with the current needs of Purple Pantry.
Most needed items in our Pantry spaces:
- Breakfast items (individual cups of cereal, breakfast bars, oatmeal cups, etc.)
- Healthy Snacks (popcorn, granola bars, crackers)
- Fruit cups/Canned Fruit
- Rice
- Canned meat (tuna, chicken)
- Taco meal kits
- Pasta
- Seasonings
- Hygiene items
- Household items (trash bags, paper plates, plastic utensils)
- Gluten free options
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian options
Give to Purple Pantry
For more information about donations or collaborations, please contact us at:
purplepantry@ecu.edu or call 252-328-2735
Local Pantries
LOCAL PANTRIES | PHONE NUMBER | ADDRESS |
---|---|---|
Bread of Life/Grifton-Mobile Food Pantry | (252) 524-4041 | 406 Cannon Blvd. Grifton |
Churches Outreach Network | (252) 717-9600 | 713 Albemarle Avenue. Greenville |
Emmanuel Community FWB Center | (252) 756-0094 | 3106 Speight Seed Farm Road |
Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC | (252)752-4996 | 497 W 9th St. Greenville |
Hope of Glory Ministries | (252) 215-9042 | 103 E. Arlington Blvd. Greenville |
Koinonia Christian Center Church-Mobile Food Pantry | (252) 752-1898 | 1405 SW Greenville Blvd. Greenville |
Lifetime of Joy Baby Pantry & Motherhood Support Hollywood Church | (252) 756-1350 | 5103 NC HWY 43 S. Greenville |
Love Ministries Church (LMC) | (252) 412-3088 | 1610 Farmville Blvd. Greenville |
Memorial Baptist Benevolence Program | (252) 756-5314 | 1510 SE Greenville Blvd. Greenville |
Mt. Zion Holy Church | (252) 746-7404 | 3323 Ayden Golf Club Road |
Pentecostal Temple Holy Church of Deliverance | (252) 752-0906 | 2753 W. 5th Street. Greenville |
Philippi Church of Christ | (252) 752-7205 | 3760 Philippi Dr. Greenville |
South Greenville Church of Christ | (252) 754-2222 | 669 S Memorial Dr. Greenville |
St Paul's Episcopal Church | (252) 752-3482 | 401 East Fourth Street. Greenville |
St. James United Methodist Church Food Pantry | (252) 714-9002 | 2000 East 6th Street. Greenville |
St. Peter's Catholic Church | (252) 757-3259 | 2700 E. 4th Street. Greenville |
The Anointed Ones Church | (252) 746-2722 | 4271 N. Edge Rd. Ayden |
ECU and Local Resources
ECU AND LOCAL RESOURCES | PHONE NUMBER | ADDRESS/EMAIL | TYPE OF RESOURCE |
---|---|---|---|
Academic Advising and Support Center | (252) 328-6001 | advising@ecu.edu | Academic Advising |
AmexCan | (252) 258-9967 | juvenciorp@amexcannc.org | Social Well-being |
Campus Recreation & Wellness | (252) 328-6911 | campusrec@ecu.edu | Physical Fitness Well-being |
Career Services | (252)328-6050 | career@ecu.edu | Career & Employment Opportunities |
Cashier's Office | (252) 737-6886 | cashier@ecu.edu | |
Center for Counseling & Student Development | (252) 328-6661 | Mental Health | |
Daycare Assistance | (252) 902-1110 | 1717 W. Fifth St. Greenville | |
Dean of Students | (252) 328-9297 | dos@ecu.edu | Crisis/Family Emergency/Grievances |
Disability Support Services | (252) 737-1016 | dssdept@ecu.edu | Disability |
ECU Cares | (252) 737-5555 | Crisis | |
Financial Aid Office | (252) 328-6610 | faques@ecu.edu | |
Ledonia Wright Cultural Center | (252) 328-6495 | lwcc@ecu.edu | Diversity Support |
Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center | (252) 737-2514 | lgbt@ecu.edu | Diversity Support |
Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities | (252) 328-6824 | osrr@ecu.edu | Code of Conduct |
Pitt County Department of Social Services | (252) 902-1110 | 1717 W. Fifth St. Greenville | |
SNAP Benefits Coordinator, Thomas Knight | (255) 902-1238 | 203 Government Cir. Greenville | |
Student Health Services | (252) 328-6841 | gotquestions@ecu.edu | Physical Health |
Student Treasure Chest | treasurechest@ecu.edu | ||
WIC | (252) 902-1110 | 1717 W. Fifth St. Greenville |