UB to Open Campus Pantry This Fall
April 4, 2016
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
The University of Baltimore, in partnership with the Student Government Association, is developing a Campus Pantry that meets the immediate needs of hunger on campus, as well as continuing needs for additional resources that involve food security. The pantry is on schedule to open in a secure, convenient campus location this fall.
Last fall, UB's Rosenberg Center for Student Involvement received a Fund for Excellence grant from the University of Baltimore Foundation to complete a thorough study of food security among the campus community. This survey, conducted by the Schaefer Center for Public Policy in UB's College of Public Affairs, will provide valuable data to further define the issue of hunger on campus, articulate the need for a Campus Pantry, and assist in advocating for additional resources.
The pantry is scheduled to open this coming October on the second floor of the UB Student Center. Facilities there will be repurposed to meet the requirements of a pantry, specifically a secured space that nonetheless is welcoming and accessible to all members of the UB community.
The project is led by a work group made up of students, faculty, and staff, and will be managed through University of Baltimore student affairs. In June, a Maryland-DC Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA member will begin work on a three-year project to build a sustainable plan to ensure the pantry meets its goals.
Offering a pantry on campus will ensure that healthy food options are accessible to those experiencing hunger, regardless of their socioeconomic status, place of residence, or other qualifying factors that might prevent them from receiving assistance at a local food program. It also meets the immediate needs of a student population that includes commuters and non-traditional students, many of whom work full time and have families. The UB Campus Pantry will be designed to be close by and convenient, and will help build connections among the campus community, demonstrating an ethic of care for students, faculty, and staff.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.