ESF Receives SUNY Grant for Food Pantry Refrigeration

3/23/2021

ESF was one of 17 SUNY schools to be awarded grants to purchase food pantry refrigeration.

The grants are part of a larger effort to ensure students on campuses have access to refrigerated items as food insecurity grows across the nation. All SUNY students have access to a food pantry on or near campus, and with today's awards, 55 campuses are now equipped to handle fresh food along with non-perishable items.

ESF established its pantry - Beth's Bounty: The Food Pantry at ESF - in 2019. It's run by Alpha Xi Sigma, the College's Honors Society student organization. It provides free food for any student who may be experiencing hunger and/or struggling to attain food due to financial hardships.

"Food insecurity on college campuses is an important issue and we are working to eliminate it so our students can focus on their education. We are thrilled to have a refrigeration unit so we can increase the food items we can offer our students said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. "We're grateful to SUNY for providing the grant to make this possible.""

The addition of a refrigeration unit will increase the food options the pantry can provide. "We'll now be able to provide fresh produce, dairy and other healthy food items for our students," said Laura Crandall, director of student involvement and leadership.

"Hunger has no place on our campuses, and we must do everything we can to eliminate it so that students can focus on their studies," said SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras. "Our mission at SUNY is to make that decision easier by supporting our students with sustainable food options with the hope that one day our food pantries won't be necessary. Until that day happens, we will make our food pantries as robust as possible, and with a little bit of funding, we are able to do so."

Any ESF student can visit the pantry once a week during drop-in hours or by appointment through the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership. The pantry is stocked with items from the Food Bank of Central New York and donated food, pantry and personal care items. It is supported by funds given to The Food Pantry Fund.