Food insecurity is a crucial issue impacting students across Pennsylvania. According to the Commonwealth, over one third of college students know of a fellow classmate who has had to drop out of college due to food insecurity during the pandemic. Cedar Crest College, for the second time has been designated as a PA Hunger-Free Campus and received their third $20,000 PA Hunger-Free Campus Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to address student hunger and food insecurity.
With the funds received from the first two grants, the college was able to improve upon its existing resource pantry in Butz Hall. Additional shelving and freezers were purchased, and walk-in overflow storage units were added, allowing the pantry to stock more food, including pre-packaged meals donated to the College. This pantry provides students with 24/7 access to fresh and non-perishable food and personal care items.
Additionally, the College has built a relationship with The Kellyn Foundation, a local non-profit organization dedicated to developing, supporting, facilitating, and implementing healthy lifestyle programs. Through this partnership, Cedar Crest has been able to provide meal and food vouchers to students and host educational workshop opportunities for students and their families.
“At Cedar Crest, we educate a very unique and important population of student,” explains Lynnsae Powers, Director of Persistence Support Resources. “[Our students] have families, multiple jobs, and responsibilities unlike the “traditional” definition of a college student. Where they will receive their next meal should not be one of their concerns.”
Moving forward, the resource pantry plans to strengthen their relationship with the Kellyn Foundation, update technology and storage space in the pantry, and pay a dietetic intern student to work with the pantry.