Shawnee State opens student food pantry
29 July, 2016
category: Dining, Privilege Control
Students in need of a meal at Portsmouth, Ohio’s Shawnee State University need only show their student ID to avoid the hunger pains. Shawnee now joins a growing number of universities across the country to recognize the need for additional student support by opening a campus food pantry.
According to local CBS affiliate WSAZ, Shawnee’s “Bear Necessities” food pantry is free to use for students and was established, in part, by the university’s director of student life. After seeing news reports on other universities opening pantries for students facing financial hardships, it was discovered that Shawnee State students faced a similar challenge.
“There are students in the past who have said that they needed help, and we recognize that,” Hartman said in a statement to WSAZ. “Students on campus have gone to my office or other departments on campus and have needed a little extra help and have told us ‘I don’t have enough money to buy gas to drive to school,’ ‘I don’t have enough money to buy food tonight, I won’t be paid until Friday. The next two days I’m not going to eat.’”
The pantry is be open to all Shawnee students, no questions asked. Students only have to show a valid Shawnee State student ID card to benefit from the pantry’s services. The pantry will open on the first day of classes for the fall semester August 22.
