Model UN helps provide food for hungry students

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File photo, The Campus Ledger
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Haley Alexander

Special to The Ledger

Since its establishment in 2011, the food pantry on campus has allowed struggling students to get the food they need in order to better succeed in their classes.

According to the college’s website the pantry succeeds in feeding approximately 60 students a week. Brian Wright, political science professor and Model U.N. sponsor has worked for the past six years to help the food pantry reach more students.

“[The food pantry] is open to the community but we don’t have enough items to be someone’s sole source of food, so we always ask for any help we can get,” Wright said.

The food pantry, located in OCB 261Q, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In conjunction with the services the pantry provides, it also allows for students to remain anonymous and feel comfortable accepting help from the community.

“We made the pantry in 261Q because it is very discreet so if they’re just going to visit the pantry there is no stigma around, and that’s why it’s there for anyone who needs it,” Wright said.

The pantry came to be when the Model U.N. participated in the Campbell’s Soup “Let’s Can Hunger” campaign in 2012. They decided to continue with the food pantry due to the great real life issue all communities go through, even on a global scale, Wright said.

“It contributes to learning about a local issue of inequality in education throughout the U.S., and how we can help on a large scale,” Wright said.

The food pantry has become a large project not only for Model U.N. but also many members of the faculty. Many of the departments on campus make an effort to help out by sponsoring the Food Pantry on a month to month basis.

“ I got involved with JCCC’s food pantry because I believe If a student is hungry, she isn’t going to be able to concentrate on writing that persuasive paper for her English class or researching for her upcoming presentation in her speech class,” said Katherine Karle, professor of English. “She’s going to be trying to figure out where her or her children’s next meal is coming from.”

The food pantry is in constant need of donations and has multiple donation drop off spots around campus. Items in high demand include non-perishable items that are rich in protein and hygiene products like toothpaste, deodorant and feminine products.

For more information on the food pantry, check our their website or contact Dr. Brian Wright at bwright1@jccc.edu.

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