Stevenson University is working on creating a food pantry, where SU students would be able to access non-perishable foods.
La’el Richards, a junior early childhood education major, is the student coordinator for the project, and she believes that hard-working college students have a lot of things to worry about already, and wondering what their next meal will be should not be one of them.
The food pantry was created to help students, explained Richards, who thinks there is a misconception that most Stevenson students have a great deal of money because they attend a private university. In actuality, some students are barely getting by. Richards originally thought of doing something for the children in a local elementary school, but then thought of her peers. “College students are overlooked a lot,” she said.
Richards added that being involved in this project is a fantastic way to help the Stevenson community. Providing SU students with more access to food directly affects their well-being and can impact academic success.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to contribute to the food pantry collection. One of the project’s goals would be to promote academic excellence by reducing the amount of distraction due to hunger, said Richards.
In the future, she envisions the food pantry expanding to both campuses. Ashley Winkey, a junior psychology major, thinks this would be convenient especially when she would like something light to eat but does not have change on her to grab something from a vending machine. Richards explained that there is still work to be done with organization so that students can start participating on Friday, April 1.
