More students have been using the Rollins Food Pantry since it moved to the second floor of the Kathleen W. Rollins Hall.
The pantry, run by the Student Support Foundation, is a confidential service that aids students who struggle with food-related costs.
“We identified a need,” said Sofia Macias (‘20), office and community coordinator in the Center for Community Engagement. “We just had a very high number of students that were requesting more ways of being able to purchase food on campus … We purchased some shelves and we got some food donated and it kind of started really organically.”
The pantry is open to all students: “With our recent email about our move,” said Hannah Jureller (‘20), the Student Support Foundation’s strategic chair, “people have been using it quite a bit more.”
Additionally, more Holt and Crummer students have been coming to the pantry since the move. Mobile orders also seem to be more well known.
Students can either come to the pantry and take what they need or place an order online, which will be processed at the C-Store and stored in a pre-packed bag.
Placing an order entails filling out a form to determine what food preparation supplies the student has access to, any dietary restrictions the student has, and if there is a need for hygiene products.
Once the order is ready, the student is notified and can retrieve it from the C-Store by stating their order number.
The pantry originally opened during the 2018-2019 school year. Since then, the pantry’s staff has tried to increase awareness of it through emails.
“A lot of people don’t really know about the food pantry still,” said Ellie Heller (‘21), the pantry’s coordinator. “So one of our big issues is trying to disseminate information into the general campus area.”
Students can visit the pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the second floor of Kathleen W. Rollins Hall. It is located near the Center For Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE).
Students can get into the pantry by visiting the CLCE desk and can expect privacy; the pantry’s location is in a back hallway that only Rollins staff has access to.
While Kathleen W. Rollins Hall underwent renovation, the pantry was located in 203 East Lyman Avenue.
“We think moving it back into [Rollins Hall] makes it a little bit more accessible for students because it’s so central,” Macias said.
The food and other services provided by the pantry is based solely on what is donated. This can range from canned foods and fresh vegetables to bathroom supplies. Donations are brought into the pantry directly, and the staff also consistently checks the freshness of the pantry’s food.
The pantry is operated on a meager budget since much of the food comes from donations.
“The most amount of money we spent was on the actual storage units, which … I think were maybe $300 total. And then, I would say, in a semester, we probably spend less than $100 on food,” said Macias.
The Student Support Foundation is a student-run organization that provides financial assistance for students in need to make sure they have a good undergraduate career. The foundation gives up to $200 to students in need. This money is meant to last one semester and can be used on things like rent, academic costs, gas, and even family emergencies.
The foundation holds meetings on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. for students interested in helping the pantry or the foundation in Kathleen W. Rollins Hall room 230.
If students are interested in going or donating to the pantry outside of regular hours, they should contact smacias@rollins.edu.
The pantry especially needs menstrual hygiene products and dietary-sensitive foods, such as gluten free and vegan-friendly options, and encourages donations.
To place an order online, go to https://hjureller.wufoo.com/forms/z1bv1mbh1fwso2u/.
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