UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Lion’s Pantry at University Park has announced the retirement of its Cub Pantry network of satellite food pantries across campus. The decision comes after a strategic review of the program by the student executive board and professional staff advisers.
Created in 2014, the Lion’s Pantry was developed by students with a mission of reducing food insecurity and associated stigma. The main pantry location on Services Road has continued to grow; in 2022, a complete pantry renovation was completed and professional staff in Student Affairs were brought on board to support the growth. Since then, more than 17,000 people have used the Lion’s Pantry for support, including over 1,500 since March.
The Cub Pantry program was developed to supplement the main pantry location with smaller grab-and-go locations throughout campus. These smaller pantry locations expanded rapidly while creating barriers for Lion’s Pantry staff to monitor food safety protocols and operations effectively.
Costs of supporting each of the 12 recognized Cub Pantry locations across University Park also rose rapidly, resulting in more than $100,000 in expenditures during the 2023-24 fiscal year, roughly 30% of the Lion’s Pantry operating budget. The student executive board determined that resources were most effective when supporting the main pantry location until expansion locations could be revisited. Various units and departments across campus have created independent pantries for students in need that will continue at each location’s discretion.
“What the success of the Cub Pantry showed us was that food access is a real barrier, and we are exploring new, exciting initiatives to better serve our student community,” said Juan-Rodrigo Solares, Penn State student and president of the Lion’s Pantry. “This program was incredibly popular and we are thankful that so many partners can continue these efforts independently.”
The executive board is exploring new transportation options to help increase access to the main pantry facility, including parking vouchers and coupons for ride-share platforms.
University units and departments that have created independent pantries are being asked to remove any Cub Pantry language and signage to limit confusion, and are encouraged to add their information to the Lion’s Pantry website as a community resource. Independent pantries are encouraged to continue to support the growing community of students in need.