A food pantry for West Virginia State University (WVSU) students in need has opened on the school’s Institute campus.
The pantry is located in Curtis Complex, room 203, and will be open four days a week during the remainder of the spring semester. The pantry opened Monday, March 11.
“We have noticed a need for this service on campus,” said Kellie Toledo, director of Counseling and Academic Support Services at WVSU. “We have some students who are going without.”
The food pantry is open to any current WVSU student, staff or faculty member. Those using the pantry must present their University photo ID.
Toledo said that some students become financially stressed and face short-term crisis situations where they may not have enough money to buy food for themselves or their children. That is where the pantry can step in and help, she explained.
“We have previously given students information on local food pantries where they could get assistance if they are facing a short-term crisis,” Toledo said. “By bringing a pantry to campus, that is just taking it to a different level.”
The pantry will work on donations. Currently, Toledo said that the most needed items are cereal, pasta sauce, canned pasta, canned fruit, macaroni and cheese and canned tuna or chicken. All boxed or canned items are welcome, however, including toiletries.
There will not be refrigeration units in the food pantry, so donations of meat and other items that would require refrigeration cannot be accepted.
In addition to accepting donations at the pantry, designated collection containers have been placed around campus for those wishing to donate. Collection containers can be found in Wallace Hall, Ferrell Hall, Cole Complex, the Wilson University Union and in the Drain-Jordan Library.
In addition to items, Toledo said that monetary donations to the food pantry will also be accepted through the WVSU Foundation.
Students will be able to use the food pantry once a week to get needed items. If a student needs the pantry more than once a week, they will be scheduled to meet with a WVSU counselor to explore other assistance that may be available to them in the local area.
When students use the food pantry they will be asked to fill out a short form and identify any dependent children they may have. All information collected will be kept confidential.
For the spring semester the food pantry will be open Mondays from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The hours may differ during the summer, Toledo said.
The food pantry will be staffed by volunteers.
For more information, contact Kellie Toledo at (304) 766-3262 or toledoke@wvstateu.edu.
