LSUS FOOD PANTRY

SCRIPT KAITLYN: IT’S NO SECRET THAT MOST COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE LITTLE TO NO INCOME. ACCORDING TO NPR, 36% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE SUFFERING FROM FOOD INSECURITY. MEANING THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH INCOME TO PROPERLY FEED THEMSELVES. CHEYANN: LSUS HAS TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS HAVE A BETTER LIFE. Angel Martin: “We started researching the need for a food pantry on our campus roughly last summer.” CHEYANN: A FOOD PANTRY OPENED DURING THE 2018 FALL SEMESTER IN THE UNIVERSITY CENTER. Martin: “Since then we’ve had a really good response. We’ve had about 4 to 500 pounds a month given out, and that was just in the months of November and December.” KAITLYN: THE FOOD PANTRY ALLOWS STUDENTS TO TAKE UP TO 75 POUNDS OF FOOD PER MONTH. THEY CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE THE FOOD ALL AT ONCE OR MAKE A FEW TRIPS. Martin: “We restock once a week, usually from the food bank, but we also have planned food drives. And we have an Amazon wish list so if somebody doesn’t even want to have to lift a can of green beans, they can shop on our Amazon wish list, and that’s things that we really need.” CHEYANN: THE FOOD PANTRY IS AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS AND SHOPPERS REMAIN ANONYMOUS. Martin: “We don’t have a target customer because you don’t know who is struggling with whatever situation in life. If somebody comes in, its no questions asked, no judgment. We’ve seen some students become really emotional about it because its helped them in ways they didn’t even realize they needed help.” KAITLYN: AND NOW YOU KNOW, IM KAITLYN GIBSON CHEYANN: AND IM CHEYANN BORDELON FOR ALMAGEST STUDENT NEWS. *END*{ends the script}