By Alexx Kennedy

PRCC Public Relations

Pearl River Community College recently received two generous gifts from the Poplarville Women’s Club to help students in need.

The Poplarville Women’s Club donated $200 to The Market, a free campus food pantry, and $400 to be used to purchase dorm necessities for students.

“Thank you to everyone with the Poplarville Women’s Club for their donations,” The Market Manager Tina Smith said. “We are once again so grateful for the continued support we receive from our community.”

The Market first opened in 2018 and is a free food pantry for students, staff and faculty with food insecurity. Students, both commuter and dorming, can access The Market with a current PRCC ID. It is completely free and its visitors are kept anonymous. The Market is housed within the Carol Williams Station, named after its founder. The Station houses both The Market and The Wildcat Career Closet, a place where students can get free clothing for speeches and job interviews. The Market is open Wednesday and Thursday of every week from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

“This is our community,” Poplarville Women’s Club representative Betina Dodd said. “These are our people too. Several of our members are alumni from PRCC or worked on the staff here. It’s a shame that we have to have a food pantry but it’s fantastic that it’s here.”

The club has made several monetary and non-perishable donations to these efforts throughout the years. Loads of sheets, towels and laundry detergent have been shuttled to the college on behalf of the Women’s Club to help students and they plan to continue supporting their community in various ways in the future.