Food for Thought, The UGA Pantry Helps

No Student Hungry

Much like the national campaign No Kid Hungry®, there are many students at colleges throughout the United States that are barely getting by, some putting their nourishment behind paying for college and all of the expenses that go along with college; tuition, books, rent, utilities, to name a few. The USDA average monthly cost of food for a college-age student for a moderate-cost food plan, following the recommended Food plans, is $223.55.

According to Education Data, in 2018:

• Nearly 25% of high school students considered middle class indicated they were not planning to attend college because of the expense
• In 2018, an average of 45% of students experienced frequent food insecurity
• Over 50% of students from 2-year institutions and 44% of 4-year students worried about running out of food
• Nearly 50% of students could not afford balanced meals

Many students who are struggling just to keep up with the cost of college even while working and getting loans, often feel uncomfortable saying anything about struggling to maintain a balanced diet. As a college student who relied on school loans, I would often make light of this, kidding around and saying my meals consisted of ramen noodles. But knowing the importance of a healthy diet plays on one’s health, sleep patterns, stress, capacity to think, and strength both mentally and physically, it is not a joking matter. And students should not have to make a choice between buying textbooks and buying groceries.

Fortunately, many campuses today recognize this problem and have addressed it by having Food Pantries. At most universities, it is referred to as food insecurity; basically, referring to students not having access to nutritious groceries on a regular basis.

The Pantry

At UGA, Greek Life is responsible for the creation and upholding of the UGA Student Pantry. This is a “Pantry” full of non-perishable and refrigerated food items open to graduate and undergraduate students who are willing to sign a confidentiality agreement and present their UGA ID to whoever is working at that time. There is no requirement to show proof of need, and there is no limit to how often one can visit the pantry. This is located on the first floor of the Tate Student Center in room 146, and it is open from 10 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday.

If you are in need of assistance from the pantry outside of these times, call or email the office (706-542-4612 // ugapantry@gmail.com) to set up a pickup time or visit a staff member across from the Pantry in the Greek Life Office, and they will be able to assist you. UGA does everything they can to make sure that their students do not go hungry and try to meet and assist the different needs of all students.

There are many additional resources, besides the student food pantry, available for students with financial hardships including Franklin Fridge and even a food scholarship that UGA and the Athens community have put in play to help all dawgs. No one should ever be deprived of essentials because they cannot afford it; UGA recognizes that and is working to assist ALL students in need. Or, if you know of a student that needs this resource, you should absolutely share this information. The Student Pantry and other programs are very discreet about respecting the privacy of those that are in need, whether temporarily or long-term.

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