Pantry Provides Food Items for Students
The Food Pantry is one of the facets of the SERVE Center, and its goals are to reduce food insecurity by providing resources to those in need, increasing awareness of hunger issues on Truman’s campus, and promoting student engagement to develop a feeling of community and service to peers on campus.
The Truman Food Pantry provides several different food items such as soup, ramen, pasta, cereal, rice, milk, fruit, vegetables and much more. It even offers gluten free or vegan options to cater to allergies or dietary restrictions. Select hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, floss, body wash, shampoo and razors are also available.
The food pantry is located in the Student Union Building Room 1106 (SERVE Center) and is open 2:30-4 p.m. Mondays; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays; 1:30-4 p.m. Wednesdays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Fridays; and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays. In addition to these hours, throughout the year, they host several pop-up pantry events that allow students to make their own food packs or pick up one that is already prepared. This semester’s pop-up pantrys will take place 1-4 p.m. Oct. 5, Nov. 9 and Dec. 7 and are all in the Student Union Down Under.
Donations to the Food Pantry are always being accepted and can be dropped off at the U&I Office in the Student Union Building 2000. Items in high demand at the moment are tomatoes, potatoes, tuna, chips/crackers, pasta, cereal, chicken and breakfast items.
Major suppliers of donations to the Truman Food Pantry are the Truman Food Pantry Foundation Fund and the “Food for Fines” program sponsored by the library and the Department of Public Safety. Intramural forfeit fines can also be paid with donations as well. Another way to donate is by purchasing items on the Food Pantry's Amazon Wishlist. The list is filled with a variety of items, both food and hygiene products, that are high in demand when students request packs.
The pantry is available to all Truman students. There are no income eligibility requirements for use, and all that is needed is a Truman ID when picking up items. Students are asked to complete a one-time form on their first visit, but use of the pantry will not become part of the student’s record, nor will the student’s information be shared.
The idea for a food pantry derived from Casey Cook in 2018. A nursing student at the time, Cook noticed a need for a food pantry in the Truman community. JD Smiser, director of the Office of Citizenship and Community Standards, helped her connect with individuals across campus that agreed with the idea. From there, Kathleen Placke, student government member; Erika Sterup, then assistant director of Upward Bound; Stephanie Raymond, then McNair program and evaluation coordinator; Brian Ott, assistant professor of sociology; Justin Drelinski, then Sodexo general manager; and Sodexo employees Cassie Woods and Bri Bonds, along with Cook, all worked together to create the foundation for what is known as the Food Pantry today.
Additional information can be found on the food pantry website, by emailing serve@truman.edu, or by following @tsuservecenter on Instagram.
