This month, we shine the spotlight on Kimberly Deberry, a dedicated Hunger Corps VISTA serving at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). A proud NCCU alum, Kimberly earned her Bachelor of Social Work in December 2024. Her path to service began during a summer internship at the NCCU Campus Pantry, where she discovered a deep passion for food justice, nonprofit work, and capacity building. That formative experience inspired her to return as a VISTA!
The NCCU Campus Pantry operates as a closed pantry, offering free groceries, hygiene products, and educational resources to students, staff, and faculty. The pantry collaborates with a wide network of community partners, including the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Harris Teeter Food Rescue Program, and several others. These partnerships are essential in ensuring consistent, high-quality support for the campus community.
In her role, Kimberly has focused on building the pantry’s capacity, organizing events, and expanding outreach efforts. She’s led food rescues, supported grant writing, and played a pivotal role in making pantry use more normalized and embraced on campus. Under her leadership, the pantry served 7,841 individuals, distributed over 33,500 pounds of food, and secured more than $124,000 in in-kind donations during the 2024–25 service year.
Kimberly’s creative energy is especially evident in the events she’s helped organize – from Pantry Palooza to Wellness Wednesdays, karaoke and movie nights, and holiday food bag distributions. These events have helped turn the pantry into a welcoming hub of care. One standout moment was coordinating the 10th Anniversary Celebration, where she helped feed over 100 attendees and honored a decade of campus support.
Like any service role, Kimberly’s year came with challenges, including limited volunteer availability, managing logistics with a broken elevator, and sustaining student engagement during academic breaks. Yet, she met these hurdles with resilience and a commitment to community-centered solutions. Through her service, she’s grown as a leader, project manager, and advocate.
Looking ahead, Kimberly plans to begin her Master of Social Work program with a focus on community and nonprofit leadership. She also hopes to return for another year of service as a VISTA, continuing to expand the pantry’s impact while pursuing her graduate studies.
“I’m excited about the future of the pantry and hope to continue shaping sustainable, inclusive support systems on campus,” she says. Kimberly’s dedication and vision are helping to redefine food support at NCCU and her work is a shining example of VISTA dedication.
You can learn more about the NCCU Campus Pantry here.
This blog was written by Alice Chesley-Akhtar with information and support from Kim Deberry.