LSUS FOOD PANTRY - There are many reasons why some college students don’t graduate with a degree. Often it’s because of a lack of money to take care of tuition, costs of books and meeting basic living expenses. Sometimes the tipping point comes when a student simply doesn’t have enough to eat. Food insecurity among college students is a growing problem, a problem that officials at LSUS hope to address by adding a student food pantry.
Angel Martin is Director for Student Activities / Recreational Sports and is managing the food pantry. She explains the mission of the food pantry.
"It's really going to be a security measure so that students aren't worried about where their next meal comes from or worried about the dollars in their bank account covering either textbooks or grocery trips.," explained Martin. "So it's going to be something that we make sure that they know they're going to be taken care of. They're well nourished and they're not worried about those items that are hanging over their head."
Martin also said there was an underlying need for this type of service.
"In the process that we announced that we're going to open this, I had countless professors, staff members reach out to me and say I've got this student right now, I know you're opening the food pantry in a couple months but where does this student go?"she explained.
Some students have special circumstances that cause them to be food insecure. "We've had students that don't have a home to go to, we have students that instead of their parents supporting them, they're supporting their parents who might have lost their job," said Martin. " So these are first-hand stories that I've actually seen on our campus."
Those who volunteer in the food pantry must sign a confidentiality agreement and students who need this type of service are encouraged to come forward.
"This is not something that students should feel ashamed to use.," explained Martin. "This is another service to round out the whole student. So we don't want anybody to think they are going to get judged, or there's going to be a stigma around using the food pantry. It's like the 'Success Center for Tutoring', if you need help in a certain area we've got you covered."
To learn more about the LSUS Student Food Pantry, go to lsus.edu and search Food Pantry. The link is under the Student Life/Student Activities Page. Volunteers and Donations are welcome.
WEBLINK : LSUS Student Food Pantry
