UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Food insecurity on college campuses is a nationwide problem and Penn State is no exception to this issue. In 2014 Lion’s Pantry was established to help combat food insecurity among Penn State students. Now, the pantry is teaming up with other organizations and offices to expand their efforts.
CUB pantries, a miniature version of the main pantry, are located in buildings across campus to help provide easy access to necessities for students who are unable to travel to the main pantry located between Lion Surplus and the Blue Band Building.
Spencer Wallace, a sophomore studying security risk analysis, is the Lion’s Pantry outreach coordinator, and said that the CUB pantries' goal is to provide a place to go when students are in direct and immediate need of food. Wallace says the main pantry serves about 40 students per week and the CUB pantries about 10 to 15 students per week.
CUB pantries are possible due to a collaboration between the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA); Lion’s Pantry; Project Cahir, a student organization focused on student poverty; and individual Penn State offices.
“Having other organizations recognize the food insecurity problems that exist and work with us is a big step forward, especially with the relationships we can develop,” Wallace said.
The first two CUB Pantries were located in the LGBTQ Student Resource Center and the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. A CUB pantry with the office of Student Care and Advocacy in Boucke Building has also been established. The Lion's Pantry has hopes for more locations in convenient spaces for students on and off-campus.
Wallace says that the pantries are just another way to combat food insecurity and that they make it easier for students to grab food and go. Students do not need to show their ID when visiting the CUB pantries.
After working with Lion’s Pantry for a year now, Wallace’s first notions about food insecurity at Penn State have changed; he now recognizes the underlying problem some students are facing with getting food every day.
“There are a lot of students here and they have a lot of different needs. Once you recognize those needs, you realize something needs to be done about it,” Wallace said.
CUB pantries are open during the operating hours of the building of which they are housed.
The Lion’s Pantry main location is open from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays and requires students to bring their Penn State ID if they are visiting for the first time. Grocery bags are available at the pantry to use and a campus shuttle runs weekdays until 6 p.m. that drops off at Lion Surplus, which is located across from the pantry.