Education extends far beyond the confines of the classroom. It encompasses not only the transfer of knowledge, but the overall well-being of students.
Recognizing this, the university offers a vital resource that helps ensure students can focus on their studies without the burden of hunger.
The Food Pantry is located in the rear of the Wintergreen Building, across from Moore Field House.
It operates in a discreet and non-judgmental manner, reducing the stigma associated with hunger.
“It allows people to come without the pressure from society seeing. [Because it is] secluded, students can access food without feeling singled out,” says Aniah Harris, a sophomore psychology major.
This approach not only helps students in need, but also encourages a compassionate and understanding community.
Students can swipe in with their Hoot Loot once a week, grab a shopping basket and browse through the aisles. Those who bring their own bag are entered in a monthly raffle. The pantry accepts all kinds of donations, from baby formula to fresh produce, allowing students to have access to a large variety of items that they might need.
The aisles are stocked with shelf-stable items such as peanut butter, cereal, pasta and canned goods. There are also freezers and coolers with items such as frozen dinners, dairy products and produce. Limits are set on certain items to make sure many students have the opportunity to come and get what they need.
“We provide support for students with food and basic need insecurity,” says Food Pantry worker Alisa Gonzalez, sophomore, nursing major. “Students can come in and get what they need for their home, family or themselves on campus.”
Gonzalez found out about the Food Pantry through research on the university website.
“Last year I did my FYRE project, as a freshman, on the Food Pantry. I let other students know about it. A lot of them really didn’t explore the campus,” she says.
The Food Pantry thrives on campus and community support. Local businesses, organizations and individuals contribute by providing food donations, volunteering or financial support.
“We have donations here, so anyone can stop by. Even if it’s like one item, they can stop by and drop it off and we give them a thank you card,” says Gonzalez.
This not only benefits the school, but also creates a sense of community engagement and social responsibility. There are drop-off bins located throughout campus including the Adanti Student Center.
Gonzalez describes how convenient the pantry is for students.
“I know a lot of people are not able to find resources online, or it’s really difficult. From my own experience, in my hometown, it’s hard to find pantries. I know if you go to school here, you can stop by while going to the commuter parking lot and grab some things.”
The staff and volunteers are available to help students while they shop and answer any questions.
“I like the atmosphere here. Everyone here is super, super friendly and I love to talk to people when they come in. I usually have conversations with people when they walk around. I just love it here,” Gonzalez says.
In order to spread more awareness Harris says: “I think we need to do more activities on campus, so more people can find out about it. I think that upperclassmen don’t know too much and they would utilize it more. Younger students have full meal-plans, unlike the older students. So, if older students knew about it, they would utilize it more.”
Graduate Intern Victoria Ibitoye, whose major is clinical mental health counseling, works alongside the students in the Food Pantry. She explains how significantly involved the students are in it.
“Regular student workers, student volunteers, help a lot. They complete the same tasks, obviously on different days, such as grocery shopping, getting donations, picking up donations from different pantries or businesses,” Ibitoye says. “Some of their responsibilities include organizing items on shelves and items that are received, keeping track of donations, assisting students to be able to utilize the pantry accurately, making sure items are being appropriately gathered [and] helping students swipe in. Anybody that is willing to volunteer a few hours would be appreciated.”
The Food Pantry is open the fall semester Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Fridays 9 to 11 a.m.
Ibitoye says: “[I] will be creating a suggested item list, so people will have an idea. Before it was kind of whatever someone could, in their capacity [donate] and that still is the case. We would like to give people what they need.”
By Saniya Mumtaz
