For most students, getting fed is as easy as loading a tray at the dining hall and swiping their ID card to pay for it. But for some, finding their next meal can pose a serious challenge. Fortunately, the Dean of Students (DOS) office has a program to help.
Bear Necessities, an on-campus food pantry at Binghamton University, provides students with food and personal care items at no cost.
“We’ve noticed that food insecurity amongst our students is on the rise,” said Jazell Johnson, program coordinator for the (DOS) office. “If you look online, you will see that a lot of food banks and pantries have begun to pop up around college and university campuses.”
The pantry is available to all BU students, both on and off campus. According to Johnson, students use the pantry for a variety of reasons — some come from families with economic hardships, some have lost a job and must allocate their money to rent and others may have run out of money on their meal plan too early in the semester.
Some students who use the pantry, however, have a meal plan and do not need to worry about food. Instead, it is personal hygiene items and detergent that they need. For them, Bear Necessities provides shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
The pantry is located in the DOS office on the second floor of the New University Union and is open Monday through Friday. Previously located in the Financial Aid office, the pantry moved to its new location in July because the DOS had extra space to provide additional supplies. It now has a greater variety of foods, including gluten-free items.
When students visit the pantry, graduate assistants write down their BU ID number and then step out of the room to give them privacy. The DOS asks for feedback on the types of items the students would like to see, but does not ask for any additional information from the students.
According to Sarah Connelly, a graduate assistant in the DOS office, the ID number is not linked to the students’ identity. They record the numbers to see how many students use the pantry and how frequently. The DOS would not disclose those statistics.
“If we notice that students are utilizing our pantries a couple times a week, we pull them in and they’ll meet with one of the case managers,” Johnson said.
In addition to financial problems, Johnson said students using the pantry may be facing a variety of issues such as illness, academic difficulties and family troubles. Through optional meetings, case managers get a comprehensive understanding of student needs and can connect them with other resources on campus, such as the counseling center.
“Our office is a lot more than our food pantry,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of other offices and services [to] give us insight to what our students are dealing with.”
Bear Necessities has worked with BU Dining Services and Parking Services to hold its first food drive this semester. According to Johnson, faculty and staff have been supportive of the pantry and the program receives at least a couple donations a week. According to Connelly, the pantry already has a surplus of food.
Johnson said she sees Bear Necessities as the foundation that many students need in the competitive college environment.
“I think that providing these resources to students helps them at least start the race,” Johnson said. “Their peers are ahead of them and we are expecting all of our students to perform well. If they can’t even start the race, we’re doing them a disservice.”