Bruin Community Pantry Meets Instability with Resolve
Reported By: Sophia Lumsdaine
Photographed By: Allison Martinet
Every Tuesday a truck comes onto the George Fox University (GFU) campus carrying about 1,000 pounds of food. It stops outside the Roberts Center, and its contents are loaded into the Bruin Community Pantry. Within a week, most of the supplies are gone.
Established five years ago, the Bruin Community Pantry provides access to free food for those who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Although the majority of those who use the pantry are undergraduate students, the pantry also serves other individuals.
“We are hitting people that are on meal plans, and people who aren’t - commuters, grad students, employees. Everybody is coming these days,” said Jere Witherspoon, who directs the effort. Minimal data has been collected on those who frequent the pantry and Witherspoon makes an effort to reduce any stigma that may be associated with going to the food bank.
“A lot of the food banks are only providing food right now in boxes,” she said. “That to me seems humiliating.” Instead, students have the ability to choose what they would like– whether that is canned and packaged food, refrigerated items, or a grab and go snack.
The Bruin Community Pantry additionally provides cooking classes hosted in its kitchen. As canned chicken, beans and tomatoes may seem inaccessible and unappealing to busy college students, offering recipes and instruction can encourage students to cook in healthy and practical ways.
The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice is an organization committed to removing obstacles to graduating college. In 2021 they ran a nation-wide survey to specifically identify these obstacles.
They found that food insecurity was one of the leading factors hindering student success. Between 30% and 40% of the individuals surveyed had experienced food insecurity throughout their college career. And for some, that had prevented them from graduating.
Starting a food bank on campus had been discussed by Student Life prior to the establishment of the pantry, but it seemed a daunting task for students to take on alone. But as Witherspoon was at a point of transition in her life, she saw the need as well and stepped in to spearhead the effort with Student Life.
Although the initiative has developed significantly over the past five years, it is almost entirely reliant on volunteer and community support. Witherspoon and one student employee are the only non-volunteers who work for the pantry. GFU assists the pantry by providing the facility and covering the costs of utilities. The Associated Student Community (ASC) also contributes $6,000 worth of food each year.
The food that stocks the pantry’s shelves comes from a variety of sources. Some food comes from federal programs, while other supplies are acquired from local institutions and individuals.
Some of the federal food programs are currently reducing their allotments, which leaves the pantry short on supplies. “I think the hardest thing [...]that I'm dealing with is the challenge of [...] getting enough food,” Witherspoon said in reference to the cutbacks.
Additionally, the Bruin Pantry is moving locations this year. It is presently situated in room 109 of the Roberts Center, but the building is being remodeled so that the Occupational Therapy program can use the space. Because of this, the pantry will be relocating to Lewis Apartment #1.
During this transition, volunteers will be especially important. The period to apply as a regular volunteer has passed, but interested GFU students can sign up as substitutes or apply to work at the pantry regularly for the spring semester. More specifics can be found on the pantry’s website.
Although the move presents challenges, Witherspoon sees advantages to the transition. “Whenever things change, it's an opportunity to do things differently,” she said. Despite difficulties, Witherspoon remains determined. “If I don’t have enough volunteers, I do what I can. If I don’t have enough money, I do what I can,” Witherspoon said. “As corny as it sounds, I’ve always had the attitude that this is not my food bank, it's God’s.”