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VANDAL FOOD PANTRY

Case for Support
Food insecurityshould not be considered an accepted aspect of the impoverished student experience but a major student health priority. Roger Hughes

Food Insecurity
What is it?
Food insecurity is defined as limited or questionable access to healthy and safe foods due to a lack of resources. Food insecurity may be temporary or chronic, and it has been linked to depression, difficulty concentrating, and poor health.

Whom does it affect?

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that nearly 15% of U.S. households are food insecure. However, according to a report out of Oregon State University, 59% of students in the 19-24 age range exhibit food insecurity. Thats nearly four times the national average.

The starving college student is an accepted archetype; living on ramen noodles was prevalent but also only temporary. However, todays college student has a good chance of coming from a low-income household, and may be the first generation to attend a university. Everincreasing tuition, books, housing, and medical

insurance compete for every dollar earned. Despite working one or more jobs, students might still not have enough money for food. The staff of the University of Idahos Center for Volunteerism and Social Action (CVSA) have created the Vandal Food Pantry in response to this serious and growing need.

United States Department of Agriculture: http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutritionassistance/food-security-in-the-us

The Importance of Sustenance

While other food bank services exist in the community, CVSA staff encountered anecdotal evidence from students indicating that these options were not the best for campus bound students. Also, a study conducted at Oregon State University revealed a shocking amount of students at rural universities exhibit food insecurity. That means that students are going without basic needs such as satisfying and nutritious meals. According to Abraham Maslows hierarchy of needs, if basic needs such as eating are not met, the individual will feel tense and anxious, and may be unable to focus. In fact, studies show that students with food insecurity are less likely to have a grade point average above 3.1. Basic needs must be met for a student to succeed academically.

Partnering with the Community

The Vandal Food Pantry consists largely of student volunteers. As a sub-group of CVSA, the Pantry serves students on an as-needed basis. They encourage students with food insecurity to fill out an online form that the Pantry staff uses to put together a bag of basic food items like canned soup, canned vegetables, macaroni and cheese, and other basic food needs. The Pantry works with other non-profit organizations on campus such as the UI Nutrition Club. The Pantry offers students in the Nutrition Club the opportunity of volunteer hours needed to meet the club requirements, and in return the Pantry has access to volunteers as needed. This also supports the Pantrys mantra of students helping students, making the Pantry a place that provides students with an opportunity to help their most immediate community. The concept of students helping students has always been a priority for the Pantry. During finals week of 2013, the staff held a food drive in which students exchanged canned food for ticket to see Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in concert. The Pantry staff are also looking into a potential partnership with a local community garden (Soil Stewards) to make fresh produce available to students in need.

I want the students to see the Pantry as just another service the University offers. Sam Hermann, Outreach Coordinator

Figure 1

Moving Forward
Vandal Premiere Plan
$2,045 plus tax Unlimited meals at Bobs Place*, $75 Flex Dollars per semester which are used campus concession locations, as well as 10 guest passes per semester.

UI On-Campus Dining Plans

Vandal Prestige Plan

$1, 810 plus tax 14 meals at Bobs Place per week, $250 Flex Dollars per semester, and no guest passes.

Vandal Pride Plan

$1, 695 plus tax 140 meals per semester at Bobs Place, $300 Flex Dollars per semester, and no guest passes.

Cost per Semester: What it buys:

While the Pantry has been serving students since spring of 2013, they believe many more students could benefit from their services. They feel that an informational brochure would allow them to reach a broader audience and serve a greater number of the student body. Through developing partnerships with clubs like the Soil Stewards, the Pantry would like to make fresh produce available. They would also like to purchase University meal plans (see the chart for UI meal plan costs) that can be made available to students in the form of meal plan scholarships. These would be based on need and given to
Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth Muhammad Ali

*Bobs Place is the all-you-can-eat, resident dining facility on campus

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Where Would the Money Go?

Donations received by the Vandal Food Pantry are prioritized and carefully placed where they will be most useful. They believe that any funding they have should be used to serve the students of the University of Idaho.

Basic Organizational Needs

The Pantry project has required very few financial resources to date, and has relied mostly on outside food donations and nominal purchases of bins and shelving for storage. Basic purchases were covered by the CVSA, which operates under the budget of the Associated Students of the University of Idaho (ASUI). Also, the Universitys dining contractor has donated facilities for storage and refrigeration. As other partnerships and the organizational structure develop, the group is hoping to garner more financial support to allow them to fill gaps in the food supply. This would include staple foods that are not typically donated such as salt, flour, condiments, and other staples. Additionally, largescale funds for meal plan scholarships, storage containers, and a transport van will greatly enhance the projects capabilities.

To the Students
The staff at the Vandal Food Pantry recognize that with rising tuition costs, many students are not able to pay for basics such as meal plans and weekly groceries. The most pressing large-scale financial needs at this time are a transport van, which they would need if they partner with the Soil Stewards, and the purchase of meal plan scholarships for oncampus students. The Pantry staff believes that filling basic needs for students is the top priority of their program, and that is why any money that the Pantry receives goes directly to the students.

Levels of Giving
Any level of financial support will contribute to the efforts of the Vandal Food Pantry. Gifts as small as $5 can support the purchase of basic staple items or can accumulate for larger purchases, such as a transport van or meal plan scholarship. The chart below (Figure 2) outlines the most pressing financial needs of the Pantry, with the estimated cost of each item. Unrestricted financial donations go to the most urgent need, however, donors may choose to donate to a specific need if preferred. Food donations are welcome as well.

More information

Need
Staple Foods

Cost
As little as $5

Purpose
Provide basic staple foods (sugar, salt, etc.) Reach students who may not be aware of the Pantrys services

Food Insecurity
The United States Department of Agriculture offers more information on food insecurity, as well as state-by-state statistics. www.ers.usda.gov Also see Roger Hughes work Food Insecurity: The Skeleton in the National Closet

Informational Brochure Hand Trucks (2)

$100 each

Organization and transportation of food items For use in potential community partnerships with local food banks and community garden To be given on an asneeded basis to students with food insecurity

Transport Van

Approx. $25,000 + $2,000 in fuel per year

Student Meal Plan Scholarships

Figure 2

$1,700 - $2, 050 per semester (see Figure 1 page 2)

Support the Vandal Food Pantry!

Vandal Food Pantry mission statement declares, It is our hope that no matter their financial situation or family background, all students attending the University of Idaho will no longer have to worry about where their next meal might come from. With your help, the Pantry staff can make that goal a reality. Donate today!

Contact the Pantry!

ASUI Center for Volunteerism and Social Action
Commons 301 875 Perimeter Dr. MS 2535 Moscow, ID 838442535 Phone: (208) 8859442 Fax: (208) 885-6944 volunteer@uidaho.edu

Sources
United States Department of Agriculture: http://www.ers.usda.gov Roger Hughes: Food Insecurity: The skeleton in the National Closet Public Health Nutrition. 221. 2009; 12(11):1973 Oregon State University: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/45177