ATLANTA — An Atlanta public high school has a new tool to help students get the nutrients they need.

On Monday, Benjamin E. Mays High School opened a food pantry inside the building in southwest Atlanta.

Kroger helped the school provide the free resource for students as part of their Zero Hunger- Zero Waste foundation.

“This high school food pantry will help ensure students can focus on their education instead of hunger,” said Tammie Young-Ennaemba, manager of corporate affairs for Kroger’s Atlanta Division.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was on hand to cut the ribbon on the pantry which is packed wall-to-wall food and health supplies.

“More than half a million residents in metro Atlanta are projected to be food insecure and a rise in food prices has caught many of our neighbors off guard so it becomes incumbent on us to look out for each other and help each other as best we can. Thank you to Kroger for stepping up and putting in on this group project,” Dickens said.