The Episcopal Campus Ministry House’s@@http://uodos.uoregon.edu/SupportandEducation/NontraditionalStudents/NontradNews/tabid/149/Default.aspx@@ “Student Food Pantry” conducted its bimonthly distribution last night to students in need.
Combined selections consisting mainly of canned and boxed nonperishables like soup, vegetables, pasta, rice and beans were designed to feed an individual for three to five days, or in extenuating circumstances, up to two weeks.
Located one block south of campus on East 19th Avenue between Emerald and Onyx streets, the ECM House is in its first year of this program. Its pantry is open to all college students in the greater Eugene area and requires only the presentation of a valid student ID.
“I didn’t know that this was available to students. This is my first time coming here,” said University senior Rachel Figueroa,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Rachel+Figueroa@@ who had previously sought help from a church downtown. She saw the flier at the University Health Center, which read “Out of money? Out of food? We can help.”
Figueroa is a nontraditional student raising a 12-year-old son by herself after breaking up with the child’s father. She was homeless for three months after the separation and had to persevere for 18 months before child support started coming regularly.
Students often struggle to make ends meet for a number of reasons, but campus bills seem to be the most unifying culprit.
“It’s crazy. Because I’m from out of state, I had to take out $47,000 in loans just this year,” said law student Brian Riekkola,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Brian+Riekkola@@ who cited lofty tuition costs as the sole reason he was standing in the pantry line.
ECM chaplain and Student Food Pantry volunteer Rev. Marisa Tabizon Thompson@@http://alumni.honors.uoregon.edu/alumni/marisa-tabizon-thompson@@ looks forward to both expanding and refining the program
“We’re still starting out, trying to gauge what people need and want the most. There’s no electricity for refrigeration out here, so we’re not too big with fresh produce yet,” Thompson said while shelving food items in a tiny garage that she hopes will only be a temporary facility.
The ministry wants to do everything it can to help students not merely eat but pursue a targeted and balanced diet. One expected evolution in the program is the provision of gift cards for local grocery stores, which would be intended specifically for perishable fruits and vegetables that aren’t yet being kept on hand.
Oregon State University, which has a student-run, on-campus food pantry for like purposes, was recently host to the state’s 2012 Food Security Summit,@@checked@@ a hunger-confronting task force that has drawn praise from the United Stated Department of Agriculture for its efforts.
A different, unaffiliated group of University students has been conducting weekly meetings to plan a similar campaign with the help of University Health Center dietician Jessica Wilson.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Jessica+Wilson@@ Their main obstacle thus far has been securing a space to operate out of.
Upcoming opportunities to receive food at the ECM House will occur on Feb. 21, March 7 and March 20. Students are encouraged to bring their own bag.