Disciplines

Liberal Studies

Abstract

As food insecurity is becoming a factor among many college students, campus food pantries are opening across the country. ReStore is a food pantry at Grand Valley State University, created in April 2009 to help students who are not able to afford food or are unable to get to the local supermarket. The number of these students is alarming. Statistics show 25 percent of students, at the University of California at San Diego, skip meals due to not having money to buy food. ReStore is an asset to GVSU where it helps reduce food insecurity on campus. Campus food pantries run mostly on donations and ReStore is no exception to this. Research has shown food drives are a successful way to bring in food and personal items along with bringing awareness to the community (Access of West Michigan, 2006). Our semester long effort aims to bring ReStore more than one food drive a year to help keep their shelves stocked for the growing demand of students who will utilize this resource. Our group organized a schedule of different departments/divisions associated with GVSU to participate in one of three food drives to be held throughout the year. We unfortunately cannot convince or force faculty/staff to donate, which makes it difficult to ensure the food drives will continue past our involvement this semester. Our hope is that future students will continue the work we have started and that the system we put into place ensures ReStore will continue to stay fully stocked throughout the year to assist those students who need it.

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Lib 342 - Food Matters

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