By: Esther Gowin
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Amid homecoming celebrations, the University of Arkansas’ campus food pantry launches its annual food donation drive.
For the fourth year in a row, the ‘Pack the Pantry’ drive aims to fill the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry’s shelves with non-perishable food and household items that will be made available to the University.
This year’s food drive coordinator, Briana Roden, said they are expecting fewer donations this year due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Normally, we just accept physical donations.” Roden said. “But this year we have actually opened up to financial donations, because some people find that way easier and safer than coming to the pantry.”
When the pandemic hit the state of Arkansas this spring, many students at the University of Arkansas struggled to transition during the shutdowns. One student, Priscilla Dufresne, said she used the campus food pantry when she found herself not having enough time to get food.
“I work and I went to school and I lived in the dorms and I could only meal trade once a day.” Dufresne said. “One meal a day for anyone is bad.”
A study published in 2016 by the Center for Community Engagement and the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry shows that an overall rate of 38% of students at the University of Arkansas have experienced a low level of food security.
The study shows that while about 54% of the University is aware of the campus food pantry, only about 2% of those people have used it.
According to Dufresne, the hardest part of using the food pantry is making the actual effort to go pick up food.
“A lot of people feel like they don’t need help until they actually go there.” Dufresne said. “They don’t have any judgement towards you and you’re here to be helped.”
Anyone with a University ID can place an order through their website to pick up items at the pantry.