JANS – If the adage, “It takes a village to raise a child” holds true, then it takes a dedicated network to support the village. The latter concept is being proven by Tougaloo College, the American Heart Association, the Mississippi Food Network – Feeding America, and Atmos Energy with the first of its kind food pantry on a Mississippi college campus or HBCU. Sponsored by Atmos Energy, the community pantry is named after Robert Smith, M.D. and is a new initiative at Tougaloo College to combat food insecurity and support the local community. The pantry officially opened September 25, 2025, with a welcoming reception on campus.
Tougaloo College’s Dr. Robert Smith is a distinguished alumnus, civil rights activist, and a pioneer in community health, having founded Central Mississippi Health Services (CMHS) and co-founding America’s first rural community health center, Delta Health Center in Mound Bayou, MS. He helped institutionalize Tougaloo’s Pre-Health Program and was honored as a Tougaloo “Living Legend” for his lifetime of work improving healthcare access and food insecurity, particularly for underserved communities.
“We know that Mississippi is the hungriest state in the nation, and we are committed to ensuring that the Tougaloo community have access to the resources they need to live healthier lives,” said Jennifer Hopping, executive director of the American Heart Association, Jackson…