After surveying over 3,500 students from colleges across the country, the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness revealed last year that almost half of respondents felt they didn’t have reliable access to sufficient food at some point. At the University of Oregon, the student food pantry is one way to help struggling students.
The Student Food Pantry is a local non-profit organization that provides nutritious foods to students so they don’t have to worry about not being able to afford groceries. Those with valid student IDs can bring a bag on either Wednesday or Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to the Episcopal Campus Ministry’s garage and fill it with as much food as they need. However, even though opened twice a week, students are limited to one visit per week.
The SFP started six years ago, at 1329 E. 19 Ave., when a student associated with the ministry had concerns about a friend who couldn’t afford groceries. When the organization first started, they helped around 20 students every week. This month, the Student Food Pantry started operating twice a week on Wednesday and Thursday and set a new record of 150 students per week.
The organization has been adamant about confidentiality.
“We won’t record student ID numbers. It’s something that I won’t do,” said Doug Hale, who runs the SFP. “Even though we record students’ names, they stay in the organization and are not shared with anyone outside.”
Just like the number of students looking for help is rising, so is awareness of food insecurity issues on campus. The SFP isn’t officially associated with the UO; however, that’s one of the goals they’re working towards.
“[We would like to] find a larger space [and] create a resource center,” said Hale. He talked about a proposed center including the food pantry, dieticians, food studies representatives and an information center.
ASUO President Amy Schenk has advocated to administration, not only about having a center like this, but also to raise awareness of food insecurity among students. Schenk looks to take care of the financial, contracting and insurance paperwork in her next nine months as president. Taking care of the preliminary needs this year sets up the SFP to start the physical plans for the center next year. ASUO is also in the process of making flyers with a list of food security resources, including the SFP, to hand out to students.
Administration is realizing that the issue of food insecurity “needs to be addressed immediately,” said Schenk. Food insecurity is an issue that is currently happening, not something that is going to happen, she added.
For now, the SFP and ASUO continue to do their best to help students at the UO avoid food insecurity.
“It really has to do with working with people,” Hale said. “[And] knowing that someone’s got your back.”