Students in need of groceries and other household items can stop by the Food Pantry at Bowling Green State University.
The Falcon Food Pantry opened in January to serve all BGSU students, faculty and staff. Located in his room 109 in Central Hall, students can stop by her once a week to get the groceries they need.
Shannon Orr, director of the Falcon Food and Resource Community, which operates food pantries, said colleges began to realize more students were facing financial hardships after the pandemic hit. , said he sees food pantries as a good way to support students.
“We want every student who may be going through a tough time to come to the pantry and pick up a bag of food to feel safe,” says Orr.
All items donated to the pantry come from the donor or one of our food banks in Toledo. The food pantry stocks preserved foods, diapers, sanitary products, allergy-free foods, and foreign foods.
Orr said anyone considering donating should focus on student-friendly foods such as ramen, rice, salsa, pasta sauces, and salad dressings.
Food pantries not only serve students, but also help educate them about food insecurity.
“Our mission is education, research and service,” says Orr.
Each semester, a graduate assistant in the Master of Public Administration Management program will assist you with the day-to-day management of your food pantry. On top of that, each semester she hires 5 interns.
While at the pantry, interns work on undergraduate research projects, which Orr says is what ties their majors to work at the food pantry. She also said one of her goals for The Pantry is to find better ways to support people who want to research food insecurity.
In addition to the research being done in the pantry, Orr said he is working on additional ways to teach students about food insecurity. The library now has a guide for those interested in teaching and learning about food insecurity.
Orr is a professor in the Master of Public Administration and Undergraduate Political Science programs.
She said she loves joining the Food Pantry because it gives her the chance to help her students in new ways.
“I love being in a position now to give back to my students and support them in other ways,” she said. through
The Food Pantry is open Mondays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, Wednesdays from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm, and Thursdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm during the fall term.
“It took a team of people to make this happen,” says Orr. “This is a great collaboration across the university.”