BOISE, Idaho — Just five years ago, Boise State University's food pantry operated out of a closet. Not only has it grown in size since then, but the number of students utilizing the resource is also larger.
"We are experiencing about 6,000 visits per month," said Michelle Cain, basic needs resources manager. "When I started two years ago, it was about 1,200. So, we've had a 4x increase, which is pretty impactful.”
The 6,000 visits per month average out to about 2,500 students. Cain said a recent study showed that 28% of BSU students were food insecure, meaning they did not have access to reliable and healthy food.
There is no limit to how much food a student can take or how often they go to the pantry. Student Kyla Harris works at the pantry as a food pantry specialist.
Harris said the pantry has helped her through some tough times as a college student.
"I think that every college student has mountains they're facing," she said, "and I think just being able to know that I will always have the food pantry no matter what, I will have somewhere I can get my next meal, I think that's a really big thing for students."
Not only are more students using the pantry as the resource becomes more well-known, but Cain said inflation also puts a lot of pressure on some people.
Additionally, she said food insecurity can manifest in many different ways, and college students struggling to make ends meet should not have to live on ramen.
"That [idea is] not true," Cain said. "It's not enough to help them sustain healthy minds and healthy bodies. We all need much more nutrients than ramen can provide.”
Cain said they rely heavily on community donations to stock the pantry. The pantry partners with several partner organizations. Those organizations oftentimes run food drives.
Additionally, Cain said they get products from grocery stores around the Treasure Valley that are not selling for one reason or another through their "Food Rescue" program.
There are usually opportunities to volunteer at the pantry, she said. People interested in helping can also consider either dropping off food at the pantry or giving money online.
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