Food for the Flock: SU’s local food pantry
- David Bohenick
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
Food for the Flock is an on-campus food pantry that provides nonperishable food items to students, staff and faculty since 2018.
Members of the campus community can visit the main location outside the bookstore on the first floor of the Guerreri Student Union once a week. If the visitors show a valid SU ID, they’re allowed to fill up to two bags worth of goods in the pantry. The food pantry, which is open seven days a week, also has box drop locations scattered around campus.
Prior to the uncertainty regarding SNAP benefits, Food for the Flock received most of their donations from the Maryland Food Bank. Now, Vice President of Food for the Flock Christine Nelson said the food pantry is mostly relying on individual members of the community and student organizations.
“We are really accepting a lot of donations from other organizations on campus, if they do a food drive, and then we have a couple of box drops around campus,” Nelson said.
The various box drops can be found on the first floor of Perdue Hall, the first floor of Fulton Hall, the first floor of the Guerreri Academic Commons next to the help desk and the second floor of Conway Hall. There’s also a satellite location inside the University Park Apartments Clubhouse.
Food for the Flock is always accepting canned food items, pasta, instant food packages, peanut butter and jelly and allergy safe options like vegan and gluten-free options. They also accept hygiene products. Food for the Flock volunteers will also meet once a month to make themed “grab-bags.”
One of the missions surrounding Food for the Flock is to reduce food insecurity around campus. Secretary of Food for the Flock Catie Egan said she wishes less students would have a stigma with accepting donations.
“I’ve heard from a couple people that they feel judged when they come to the pantry. They feel like walking out with bags might be embarrassing. It’s not. It’s just part of life, really,” Egan said. “We want people to see us as a good resource to help, we are not judging, we are here to absolutely help.
“We have so many wonderful volunteers that choose to sit here and choose to help anyone that comes in.”
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By DAVID BOHENICK
Managing Editor