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WVU student honored during West Virginia’s Spirit of Philanthropy Awards

Roark Sizemore being presented with award
2017 SOP Group photo

Philanthropy WV recently presented the Volunteer Leader Award to WVU sophomore Roark Sizemore. Roark founded Pantry Plus More to respond to the growing need of students in Monongalia County who could not afford food, school supplies, or personal toiletry items. The Pantry Plus More brings basic necessities to children by putting pantries inside public schools. These pantries are stocked with food, hygiene products, clothes, and school supplies. Students can take as much as they want, whenever they want, with complete anonymity. Sizemore launched Pantry Plus More as a high school project and now in his sophomore year at WVU has expanded it to serving six schools with a seventh pantry to open in January, 2018. As a full-time honor student and Bucklew scholar at WVU, Roark works to raise funds, write grants, coordinate delivery, handles media and promotes the program. Additionally, his work resulted in Pantry Plus More receiving their own 501(c)3 status with the IRS, partnering with Mountaineer Food Bank, and arranging for the Mobile Food Bank to come to his community once a month.