by Laurel Harrison
Last month, Sacramento State’s ASI (Associated Students, Inc.) officially opened its expanded Food Pantry, taking the next step to serve students faced with food insecurity. The newly-expanded pantry is three times larger than the original facility, has twice the number of shelving units, and has a commercial-size refrigerator for storing produce and perishable items.
“We are seeing an 80 percent increase in users this year over last year, and we’re feeding more than 10,000 people, which includes family members that students share their food with,” said Reuben Greenwald, ASI’s director of Student Engagement & Outreach. “With our new Food Pantry, we will be able to serve more students and add refrigerated items and fresh produce to our list of offerings.”
Sacramento State students can use their school ID to visit the pantry weekly and spend points on food and toiletries. In addition to the Food Pantry, ASI will operate an outdoor Pop-Up Pantry several times a month to give students access to fresh produce.
College students across the U.S. face food insecurity, and it makes us proud to see the Sac State community rising up to combat the issue. Thank you to the Sac State ASI and director Reuben Greenwald for leading the charge and making a difference for students facing food insecurity in our community!
To learn more about the expanded ASI Food Pantry, or to sign up as a volunteer, visit the Food Pantry website here.